Crisis tightens: BVB continues to stumble: Kovac effect is initially missing

Already in the first game under the new coach Niko Kovac, the planned catch -up from Borussia Dortmund gets a bitter damper. But instead of criticizing after his failed premiere, Kovac does exactly the opposite. “I think that my team was doing this over 90 minutes of the willingness to perform, the commitment and the will, really well,” the coach praised after the 1-2 against VfB Stuttgart.

Kovac, who was the first BVB coach that had not won his competitive game debut since 2007, tried to confidence. “It can’t work more unhappily. The team gave everything. Of course, the defeat hurts us because it was unnecessary,” emphasized Kovac, who has now lost all of his seven games in Dortmund in his coaching career.

BVB must deliver in Lisbon

The first victory under his direction is now to be found. Since the BVB missed the direct entry into the round of 16 of the Champions League, the playoff game on Tuesday evening (9:00 p.m./Amazon Prime) is on the program at Sporting Lisbon. It is not just about a good starting position for the second leg a week later. But also about believing that Kovac’s first measures are successful. “We want to win this game,” said the coach the direction of march.

He doesn’t have much time for adjustments. Especially through video analyzes, Kovac wants to turn the Portuguese champion on a few set screws before the game. “We just have to put a bit of something, small stimuli. Otherwise we have to stay true to what we showed,” said Kovac.

Game control without consistency

Statistics such as 65 percent possession of the ball or 16: 3 goal shots suggest that black and yellow against the runner -up from Stuttgart dominated in many phases. But BVB was left behind in the decisive duels. “In certain phases”, Kovac analyzed the hapless offensive efforts, “we did not make the right decisions”.

In the penalty areas there was a lack of consistency at the front and back. “We were close, but we have to bring the ball over the line,” said the coach. This was unintentionally succeeded by his defender Waldemar Anton, who, after a cross from Chris Leadership, directed the ball into his own goal and gave VfB the 1-0 lead (50th).

“Of course, this is maximum bitter when I do the own goal like this,” said the ex-Stuttgart: “Nevertheless, we also had ways to come back.” BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl saw it similarly: “In the last decision, we lacked a bit of luck and maybe also the clarity and determination.”

Breaking instead of catching up

The bottom line is the next setback for BVB after a short upward trend under interim coach Mike Tullberg with three unbeaten games. It was already the eighth defeat of the defeat for the Dortmund that had only lost seven times in the entire last season. “We lost 2-1, we are missing three points and we are not in the table,” said Kehl.

Instead of shortening the deficit, BVB falls behind in the race for fourth place and thus the Champions League. On paper, the distance in the remaining 13 season games can still be catched up, but in view of the demanding away games against top teams such as Leipzig and Bavaria, the opportunities in practice disappear significantly. Especially since the black yellow abroad could recently only score a few points.

However, in order to initiate the urgently needed turn, the fourth trainer not only needs positive approaches within nine months, but above all results.