"That Personally Hurts and Saddens Me": Niko Kovac Apologizes to BVB Star After Zero-Touch Appearance
Julian Brandt's 300th appearance for Borussia Dortmund was unexpectedly brief. The 29-year-old was substituted after less than a minute, without having touched the ball once. This was certainly not how he had imagined such a milestone, and head coach Niko Kovac also expressed his regret.
"That personally hurts and saddens me," Kovac stated after the 3-2 (0-2) victory against Hamburger SV. Brandt was introduced just seconds before the final whistle. Kovac admitted he had intended to bring him on "20 minutes earlier." However, as BVB had just gained "momentum," he did not want to disrupt it.
Kovac Hopes for More Playing Time for Brandt
Sports director Sebastian Kehl confirmed that Kovac later offered Brandt some comforting words in the locker room. It is already known that Brandt will leave BVB at the end of his contract this summer. Kovac praised Brandt's contributions: "Great things can be said about Julian Brandt," the coach remarked. "He has played 300 games for BVB, scoring and assisting countless goals." The attacking player has built "a great career for a very, very big club."
"What Jule demonstrates as a person is unique," emphasized the BVB coach, adding, "I hope he gets much more playing time in the next seven matches."
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