Dortmund's Derby disaster: Kovac's start in the sand!

Dortmund's Derby disaster: Kovac's start in the sand!

On February 15, 2025, Borussia Dortmund experienced another drama in the Ruhr area derby against VfL Bochum when she lost the game with 0: 2. This defeat marked the first league game under coach Niko Kovac, who previously had his debut with a defeat against Stuttgart, and is a painful memory of the challenges in front of which the team faces. Kovac had hoped to initiate the turnaround with a victory against Bochum, especially after the team had recently celebrated a success in Lisbon.

The bankruptcy was particularly bitter for Aki Watzke, managing director of BVB, who celebrated his 20th anniversary in office. He had certainly hoped for more of this important game. Prominent voices, such as that of Didi Hamann, the Sky expert, expressed their criticism of the Dortmund performance during the half-time break. They reflected on the lack of efficiency and the failed moves.

critical mistakes and brilliant Bochum

One of the crucial moments in the game was the comeback from Niklas Süle, who stood in the starting eleven after a syndesmosis injury and eighth weeks. But despite his return, he made a costly mistake. He played a back pass that was successfully transformed by the newly committed Masouras in the 35th minute to 2-0. Previously, Masouras had scored 1-0 in the 33rd minute and proved that he was a valuable addition to the Bochum team with his obligation in winter.

Masouras, who could almost have laced a triple pack, was stopped by Dortmund's keeper Gregor Kobel in the 69th minute. Both goals impressively showed the defensive weaknesses of Dortmund, which did not come into play in the second half of the season when they could turn a 0-2 deficit into a 4-2 win in the first leg. This time, however, the team was unable to find their own form and the defense was often under pressure.

Niko Kovac and the list

In the run -up to the game, coach Niko Kovac made some decisive personnel changes. He decided to set up Emre Can in central defense and to leave Waldemar Anton outside. Kovac, who emphasized that Anton was not taken into account in the Champions League game due to his own goal against Stuttgart, had good reasons for his decisions. The changeover to a triple chain was unlikely because Julian Rerson was closed and Yan Couto was not yet ready for a start.

Kovac relies on a solution that gives both the team and it more time to adapt to each other. Studies show that change of coaches can produce short -term increases in performance, but a certain time is needed to ensure sustainable success and stability. Despite the recent failures, it is essential that Kovac and his players will develop a functioning team dynamics to better cut off in future games. Class = "Source_3">