Niko Kovač says Borussia Dortmund have turned a perfect start into a different kind of pressure. He called his side “the hunted” after four wins from four in the Bundesliga, and warned that satisfaction can quickly lead to a drop in the small details that keep a run going. Dortmund sit on 12 points with a goal difference of 7.
Dortmund's start under Kovač
Kovač is not pretending the start has happened by accident. He said Dortmund have made “a good jump from 11th to fourth to second” under his watch, a line that reads as a measure of progress rather than a literal league ladder from season to season. The point is the same, though, Dortmund have moved quickly and the standards are now higher.
The coach also stressed the calm around the club. He pointed to the staff, board members and people in charge as part of a “very strong” unity, and said that environment helps the team move in the right direction. That is a fair way of reading why he keeps returning to concentration, because he clearly sees the danger in a side that starts believing its own momentum.
Albert and the next step
There was also a separate note on Mathis Albert. Kovač said there are “no restrictions” on the teenager and described him as a talented young player who is showing good signs in training. He added that Albert will “sooner or later, probably sooner, get a lot more minutes here at BVB than perhaps half a year ago.”
That fits the club’s current rhythm. Dortmund go into their next league match against Werder Bremen at home on 2026-10-09, and Kovač has made it plain that the immediate task is to stay focused rather than treat the early table as a reason to relax.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
