Just named Niko Kovac as a coach, Borussia Dortmund can take an important first step to save his season with a final among the first four when they receive Stuttgart on Saturday. Stuttgart hit Dortmund 5-1 in September, the first loss of Nuri Sahin’s mandate. In retrospect, it was a clear sign that it was not well in the yellow and black corner of the northwest of Germany. Although Dortmund bought forward Serhou Guirassy and Captain Waldemar Anton from Stuttgart in the summer, Saturday visitors are gathering another impressive campaign.
The runners -up of last season Stuttgart feel fifth, before the fighters of the 11th place Dortmund, who fired Sahin in January.
But a medium table traffic jam means that Dortmund could draw the level with Stuttgart with a victory on Saturday.
The Stuttgart coach, Sebastian Hoissss, has turned the team’s fortune since he assumed the position in April 2023, raising Stuttgart of a relay to the Champions League.
His success made him marked by some as the best replacement of Sahin, but Dortmund opted for former Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco Kovac coach.
Kovac will make his debut in the shelter on Saturday, with the qualification of the first four the clear objective.
The former Dortmund goalkeeper, Roman Weidenfeller, who won two Bundesliga titles with the club under Jurgen Klopp, said Thursday that his former team has found the adequate man for work.
“He is a great manager of Borussia Dortmund. He comes with discipline and hard work to push them to be a superior team in the Bundesliga again,” said Weidenfeller.
“He is the best manager of this situation, to push the team and organize them. They are four points from the places in the Champions League, this is what they have to organize.
“Each player will have to press and have to work harder, to demonstrate his worth, who deserve to be in the initial XI.”
Weidenfeller was Dortmund’s goalkeeper when Jurgen Klopp took over in 2008. While he was not compared to the two coaches, they have clear differences in their play style, Weidenfeller said that the couple shares a relentless work ethic.
“We worked very hard in our own discipline, in our possession, it was hard, hard, hard,” recalled the 44 -year -old man. “We ran throughout the place.”
“Every year we feel more in form, stronger and more like a team, since each player worked at their own level of performance.”
The League leaders, Bayern Munich, organize a resurgual Werder Bremen on Friday, the game when his season began to take off the last campaign.
Bayer Leverkusen, who feels six points in second place and plays on Saturday, faces a complicated trip outside Wolfsburg.
One to see: Gregor Kobel
Appointed in the UEFA Champions League team last season, Gregor Kobel has fought this term, but his problems have reflected those of his team.
Kobel has maintained only three clean sheets in the league and has committed a handful of high profile errors.
However, Weidenfeller supported Kobel to rediscover his best way with the new Kovac coach.
“He has made some mistakes and has not played the best … but that is what happens when you want to help your teammates and do things that could not be your job,” said Weidenfeller.
“But now, with Niko Kovac, and with the right quality in defense, it will be quieter and Gregor will return with some excellent performances: it is Borussia Dortmund’s wall.”
Key statistics
22 – St Pauli sits 13, but has only granted 22 goals, with the second best defense of the league behind Bayern (19).
14 – Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick has 14 goals in his last 10 league games.
55 – After its first 50 Games in the Bundesliga, Harry Kane has a 55 goals record, exceeding the previous brand established by Erling Haaland for five.
Accessories (1430 GMT unless indicated)
Friday
Bayern Munich V Werder Bremen (1930)
Saturday
Wolfsburg V Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim V Union Berlin, Borussia Dortmund V Stuttgart, Friburg V Heidenheim, Mainz V Augsburg, Borussia Moenchengladbbch V Eintcht Frankfurt (1730)
Sunday
Holstein Kiel V Bochum, RB Leipzig V St Pauli (1630)
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from a union feed).
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