Champions League: Kovac laments collapse as Dortmund squander late lead against Juventus
Berlin (Germany): The curious finish at the Juventus Stadium remained a mystery to most of Borussia Dortmund’s squad. As if a frantic search for the game’s “black box” might explain the collapse, players first stared at TV replays before speaking.
Despite leading Juventus 4-2 as the clock ticked past 90 minutes in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League opener, Dortmund conceded two goals in injury time to finish with a 4-4 draw. “It feels like a defeat, despite us scoring four goals against Juve,” rued Dortmund coach Niko Kovac. “You have to dive deep into the history books to find something similar.”
The 53-year-old praised his team’s effort and called the performance top-notch, but admitted frustration at the closing stages. Still, Kovac insisted on a positive view, mindful of the club’s recent heartbreaks – losing the 2022/23 Bundesliga title on the final day and being beaten by Real Madrid in the 2024 Champions League final, reports Xinhua.
“We can compete on eye level with top European sides. We’ve proved that. But we don’t talk about possible success – we focus on stability,” said Kovac, who took over a wavering squad and is seeking consistency after seasons of highs and lows.
Creating optimism proved difficult after the wild night in Turin. “By all means, we shouldn’t lose a game like that. It was a draw, I know, but it feels like a defeat,” said Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel called for more maturity late in matches.
“We need to play grown-up football and act clever in the dying minutes,” the Switzerland international said. “These moments require a dirty-win approach. A point is valuable, but it could have been three, and that would have opened the door to the top eight [and qualification for the knockout stages].”
Dortmund’s refusal to clear their lines and a reliance on short passes over longer, safer balls proved costly. “Just don’t see our defense area as a playing zone in the last minutes with a lead,” Kovac said. “We should get that fixed.”
Dortmund’s next opponent in the Champions League is Athletic Bilbao on October 1, with the Black and Yellows also set to face the likes of Inter Milan, Tottenham, and Manchester City.