Ahead of their match against Hoffenheim, coach Niko Kovac disclosed a player absence and revealed his unique method for keeping the team motivated.
Borussia Dortmund will be without national team player Karim Adeyemi for their away game against TSG Hoffenheim. The offensive player will miss Saturday’s match in Sinsheim due to muscular issues. Coach Niko Kovac stated at a press conference on Friday, «The problems are such that he is not an option for tomorrow’s game.»
Additionally, captain Emre Can (cruciate ligament tear) and Felix Nmecha (torn collateral ligament) remain sidelined, as has been the case. While Can’s season is already over, Kovac is optimistic about Nmecha, saying, «I expect him to play for us again before the end of this season.» He expressed being «positive» and «very confident,» while also remaining «cautious.» Yan Couto will return to the squad after recovering from his muscular problems.
BVB has nearly secured second place in the standings, holding an eight-point lead over third-placed VfB Stuttgart. Their qualification for the Champions League again is also practically guaranteed before matchday 30. Therefore, Kovac is employing special measures in the final stretch of the season to maintain his players’ motivation.
Kovac Offers BVB Stars an Extra Day Off for a Win
«I have reached an agreement with the lads,» he reported. Currently, his team has one day off per week, but, «With victories, they can earn themselves a second day off,» the Croatian stated, adding, «That’s how you can win over the players.»
This incentive did not come into play last weekend during their 0-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, their third league defeat of the season. «We still want to win games. And we have to win them. Because it wouldn’t be nice if we now said: the season is over and we’re writing it all off,» Kovac commented. «We still have points to gain. We can still set one or two BVB records. That is our goal.»