"Even Jürgen Klopp needed three years to settle in here": Niko Kovac draws a bold comparison and concludes that BVB lack the quality of FC Bayern Munich

"You have to realise that the Bundesliga isn't a theatre stage where every performance goes the same way; a lot of it is unpredictable," added the Berlin-born coach, emphasising: "Hardly any club offers its fans four goals and attacking spectacle every week. I think we've certainly put on some very good and entertaining matches this season." 

Kovac then pointed to his own record as BVB coach. "'Kovac football'—someone coined that phrase, and it's stuck. I know the stereotypes: 'too passive, too defensive'. Yet the numbers tell a different story. On average we score more than two goals per game; only Bayern and Stuttgart have found the net more often. He then asked for patience, citing a bold comparison: "Jürgen Klopp also needed three years as coach here before winning his first league title."

Kovac has won 41 of 69 matches, with BVB losing only 15 times, earning an average of 1.97 points per game. Despite two recent defeats and Bayern already crowned champions, Kovac still has one major target. "I believe my team can reach 72 points – that would have made Borussia Dortmund German champions in 2023. Unfortunately, it won't be enough this time."

In their final three matches against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen, Borussia Dortmund must collect five points to hit their target—a haul that would equal their best campaign in seven years, when Lucien Favre's side racked up 76 points in 2018/19. 

At the same time, Kovac emphasised that, while he was "very satisfied with my team's development over the past 15 months", at a certain point it would be down to the players alone to decide the outcome of a match, thereby alluding to the perennial debate about Dortmund's mentality. "As a manager, you can lead a team to a certain point; beyond that, it's down to the players."

In that regard, FC Bayern have a decisive advantage, Kovac explained. "What we perhaps lack a little is what Bayern have in abundance: an incredibly strong squad with many exceptional individual talents." The German record champions, with their 100-goal striking trio of Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz, are "particularly successful in combining the attractive with the successful. 113 goals in 31 games is extraordinary. Not even the richest clubs in England can offer that at the moment. You have to acknowledge that without envy."

However, the Croatian does not believe the Westphalians have exhausted their tactical potential. "We have great footballers, great quality; we are playing close to our maximum this season. Nevertheless, I see in our daily work that we still have room to grow. Some things take time, and that's something we have very little of today." Kovac added, "You build appeal on a foundation of stability; the other way around is harder. We work to be successful. No one ever won a title by talking." 

Kovac also insists that Dortmund's pursuit of a first league title since 2012 is compatible with its financial objectives: "BVB were on the brink of the German title in 2023 and reached the Champions League final in 2024. Of course, participation in the Champions League is hugely important financially, but this goal does not preclude others that go beyond it," he concluded.

Kovac rejected claims that he fails to trust his own young players. "I've also heard that I supposedly rely more on experience than most other managers. In fact, there is a long list of young players who have developed very well under my coaching staff and myself in recent years—and continue to do so—before their clubs sold them on for hefty fees," he said. He cited Luka Jovic and Aurelien Tchouameni from his previous spells in Frankfurt and Monaco as examples. 

He also pointed to his faith in young Felix Nmecha at VfL Wolfsburg and noted that Jobe Bellingham is "in the starting line-up almost every week" at BVB. However, the full story is that Jobe Bellingham's younger brother played a minor role in the first half of the season, and there is said to have been quite a bit of friction behind the scenes as a result. 

Kovac's contract in Dortmund runs until 2027, after he took charge at BVB in February 2025 and quickly earned an extension following a strong second half of the season.