Dortmund's Niko Kovac Eyes Salvage Job As Top-Four Rivals Stuttgart Visit

Fresh from appointing Niko Kovac as coach, Borussia Dortmund can take a major first step towards salvaging their season with a top-four finish when they host Stuttgart on Saturday. Stuttgart thrashed Dortmund 5-1 in September, the first loss of Nuri Sahin's tenure. In hindsight, it was a clear sign all was not well in the yellow and black corner of northwestern Germany. Despite Dortmund buying striker Serhou Guirassy and captain Waldemar Anton from Stuttgart in the summer, Saturday's visitors are putting together another impressive campaign. 

Last season's runners-up Stuttgart sit fifth, ahead of 11th-placed strugglers Dortmund, who fired Sahin in January. 

But a mid-table traffic jam means Dortmund could draw level with Stuttgart with a win on Saturday. 

Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness has turned around the side's fortunes since taking over in April 2023, lifting Stuttgart from a relegation mire to the Champions League. 

His success had him marked by some as Sahin's best replacement -- but Dortmund opted for former Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco coach Kovac.

Kovac will make his debut in the dugout on Saturday, with top-four qualification the clear objective. 

Former Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, who won two Bundesliga titles with the club under Jurgen Klopp, told AFP on Thursday that his old team have found the right man for the job. 

"He's a great manager for Borussia Dortmund. He's coming with discipline and hard work to push them to be a top team in the Bundesliga again," said Weidenfeller. 

"He's the best manager for this situation, to push the team and organise them. They are four points off the Champions League spots -- this is what they have to organise.

"Every player will have to push and will need to work harder -- to prove themselves, that they deserve to be in the starting XI."

Weidenfeller was Dortmund's goalkeeper when Jurgen Klopp took over in 2008. While stopping short of comparing the two coaches, who have clear differences in their style of play, Weidenfeller said the pair share a relentless work ethic. 

"We worked so hard on our own discipline, on our power -- it was tough, tough, tough," the 44-year-old recalled. "We ran all over the place."

"Each year we felt fitter, stronger and more like a team as every player worked on his own level of performance."

League leaders Bayern Munich host a resurgent Werder Bremen on Friday -- the match when their season began to come unstuck last campaign. 

Bayer Leverkusen, who sit six points behind in second and play on Saturday, face a tricky away trip to Wolfsburg. 

One to watch: Gregor Kobel

Named in UEFA's Champions League team of the year last season, Gregor Kobel has struggled this term -- but his woes have mirrored those of his team. 

Kobel has kept just three clean sheets in the league and has made a handful of high-profile errors.

Weidenfeller however backed Kobel to rediscover his best form under new coach Kovac. 

"He's made some mistakes and has not performed the best... but that's what happens when you want to help your teammates and do things which might not be your job," said Weidenfeller. 

"But now, with Niko Kovac, and with the right quality in the defence, it will be quieter and Gregor will come back with some great performances -- he's the wall of Borussia Dortmund."

Key stats

22 - St Pauli sit 13th but have only conceded 22 goals, boasting the league's second best defence behind Bayern (19).

14 - Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick has 14 goals in his past 10 league games. 

55 - After his first 50 Bundesliga games, Harry Kane has a record 55 goals -- beating the previous mark set by Erling Haaland by five. 

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen (1930)

Saturday

Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Union Berlin, Borussia Dortmund v Stuttgart, Freiburg v Heidenheim, Mainz v Augsburg, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Eintracht Frankfurt (1730)

Sunday

Holstein Kiel v Bochum, RB Leipzig v St Pauli (1630)

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