‘Top opponents’: Kovač warns about Bayer Leverkusen | OneFootball

The term "pursuer duel" fits quite well—and yet not entirely. On Saturday (November 29, 6:30 PM), the Bundesliga's third-place team, Bayer Leverkusen, will host the fourth-place team, Borussia Dortmund. However, the gap to the league leader Bayern Munich is already quite significant at eight and nine points, respectively.

"We need to have a good day again," Niko Kovač (54) shows great respect for the Werkself. "It won't be easy," the BVB coach is convinced. At the press conference on Friday, he praises the Bayer team: "Leverkusen is a top opponent."

Kovač still has to do without Niklas Süle (30). The defender is still struggling with a toe injury. On the other hand, Maximilian Beier (23) is likely to return to the squad after a muscle strain. Ramy Bensebaini (30) is not yet an option for the starting eleven. After back problems, the Algerian is "not really ready for action" yet. But "it's getting better."

The head coach has special praise for Chelsea loanee Aarón Anselmino. The 20-year-old central defender surprisingly started against Villarreal instead of Emre Can (31). Against the Spaniards, he delivered a solid performance and also provided an assist. "Aaron is doing very well," Kovač raves. "You can rely on the young man. He is a great defender. I'm glad to have such a player in our squad."

Collecting Points Until Christmas

Another newcomer from the Premier League is still waiting for his first start in the lineup. Fábio Silva (23), who transferred from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer, has so far only come on as a substitute. Against Villarreal, he hammered a penalty kick against the crossbar with force in the 82nd minute.

"The 30 minutes were important for Fábio," emphasizes Kovač. He doesn't blame the Portuguese striker for the missed penalty. Quite the opposite: "I'm glad he took the penalty. It shows his confidence." And further: "I'm satisfied with him and his performance."

Fourth place in the Bundesliga. BVB is still in both cup competitions. The football coach considers the interim balance as "quite decent." But it's also clear: "We know that we need to collect quite a few more points by Christmas."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.