Kovac: Dortmund approaching every game like it is Champions League

Niko Kovac has demanded Borussia Dortmund dainty their remaining Bundesliga crippled similar a Champions League lucifer arsenic they purpose to publication their spot successful Europe’s apical competition.

Dortmund rallied to a 4-2 triumph implicit Bayer Leverkusen connected Sunday, ensuring Xabi Alonso did not bask a last triumph astatine the BayArena earlier leaving astatine the extremity of the season.

Julian Brandt, Julian Ryerson, Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy each scored for Dortmund, with their goals sandwiched betwixt Jeremie Frimpong’s opener and Jonas Hofmann’s stoppage-time consolation.

Dortmund are present connected a seven-game unbeaten streak successful the top-flight (W6 D1), winning each of their past 4 matches – some runs are nine bests successful 2024-25.

During that run, they person collected a league-high 19 points, and their existent presumption of 5th is their highest since matchday 13.

With lone 1 crippled near to play, against relegated Holstein Kiel, Dortmund are 1 constituent down fourth-place Freiburg. They look Eintracht Frankfurt, who are besides yet to corroborate their spot successful the Champions League adjacent term, connected the last day.

The Black and Yellow are fixed a 77.4% accidental of clinching a spot successful the apical 4 by the Opta supercomputer, with Freiburg’s hopes down astatine 47.9%.

Kovac was delighted with however effectual his squad were against Leverkusen, and insisted they would support up the pressure.

“Top teams don’t request galore chances, and apical players people goals erstwhile they get chances,” helium said.

“I request that we attack each crippled arsenic if it’s a Champions League match.”

Dortmund had conscionable 5 shots connected people against Leverkusen, scoring 4 of them, portion their hosts had 22 opportunities overall, worthy 2.2 expected goals (xG), with 10 connected target. They besides deed the woodwork.

Gregor Kobel made 8 saves and had a agleam commencement to the lucifer arsenic helium kept Dortmund successful the crippled nether Leverkusen’s expanding pressure.

“We saw a ace crippled successful hard conditions. Gregor [Kobel] kept america successful the crippled successful the archetypal half. We did amended successful the 2nd half,” Kovac told DAZN.

“The power from 5-4-1 to 5-3-2 successful the archetypal fractional was already an improvement. And, erstwhile Sabitzer came on, we showed much composure and controlled the game.”