Kovac Highlights Steady Improvement At Borussia Dortmund Before Facing Lille In Champions League

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Niko Kovac acknowledges that Borussia Dortmund is still developing, but he sees positive signs as they prepare for their Champions League last-16 match against Lille. Kovac, who previously won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, took over Dortmund in January after Nuri Sahin's departure. He successfully led them past Sporting CP in the play-off round, earning a clash with Lille on Tuesday.

Dortmund have been strong at home in the Champions League, losing just one of their last 16 matches there. That defeat was against Barcelona last December. They are unbeaten in their last five home knockout games, reaching the final last season. Despite being 10th in the Bundesliga and risking missing European qualification next season, Kovac enjoys the challenge of revitalising the team.

Kovac expressed satisfaction with his team's progress: "We have become more settled, we work hard every day on the training ground and in the meeting room. We are still far from where we want to be. But the way the boys are going along with it pleases me," he told reporters.

Kovac anticipates a challenging encounter with Lille due to their adaptable style of play. He stated: "They play a very versatile brand of football. This will demand a lot of strength and concentration from us. They didn’t make it into the top eight for nothing and have, for example, beaten Real Madrid. It’s going to be a tough nut to crack."

The teams have met only once before in European competition, with Dortmund advancing on away goals during a UEFA Cup last-16 tie in 2002. Given Dortmund's impressive home record in Europe, Kovac believes that passionate support at Westfalenstadion could be crucial.

"Our stadium, it's a big castle," Kovac remarked. "It's tough to play here—very tricky and very hard. I hope we can use the atmosphere to make an impression on Lille."