Niko Kovac's Champions League confidence will please BVB fans
Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac appears confident ahead of their new Champions League season, which kicks off next month.
The BVB learnt their opponents for the League Phase of the competition as they were drawn against Inter Milan, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Villarreal, Real Betis, AEK Athens, Bodo/Glimt and Sabah FK.
Although the exact order of games haven't been announced yet - it will be revealed later today - Dortmund are widely expected to reach the Round of 16.
Kovac affirmed that his team will approach every game seriously and wants to prove that their preseason performances weren't a flash in the pan:
Exciting matches await us, and we’ll take every opponent very seriously. We performed very well in London during our preseason preparations, and now we want to confirm that under competitive conditions.
He further stated that when the opening games roll on next month, Dortmund will be prepared to face whoever it is.
We’re now eager to see how the games will be scheduled. I can assure you: We’ll be ready for the opener.
Kovac's confident affirmation perhaps here suggests he's content with the squad that he has now. Not to mention a long preseason campaign where his team were also put through the paces.
This mindset actually holds the side in good stead as they look to make a deep run in Europe following an early exit in the knockout playoff last season.
One major issue with Dortmund was their poor record in the big games, failing to beat any of Juventus, Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, while also blowing a two-goal advantage against Atalanta.
If the Prussians have serious ambitions of making it far into the tournament, or even go all the way, their character and ability to deliver in the big moments would matter a lot.
On far too many occasions last season, they seemed to crumble under pressure. The prospect of facing a big team made them nervous. Intimidated, even.
But Kovac's latest word on the Champions League draw hints at something big. The manager saying his side feels "ready" is an indication of his team's preparedness.
The club went through a summer of upheavel, letting some old guards leave and a big player or two priced away to mightier quarters of Europe.
But Dortmund have effectively plugged the gaps with some young talents who have what it takes to elevate the side to a different stratosphere.
We saw it during the preseason. We saw it again in the Supercup defeat last weekend. All that remains now is to turn that promise into consistent performances when it matters the most.
