Kovac criticizes international break

Niko Kovac, the German Borussia Dortmund coach, criticized the long international break that spanned September and October, pointing out that it led to player fatigue. Kovac said at a press conference yesterday: “Playing four matches in a short span is an extremely high rate; the break was far too long.”

Dortmund, leaders of the German Bundesliga, resume their campaign today against Werder Bremen, their first test after a three-week hiatus due to the UEFA Nations League. Kovac added: “Playing four matches means a lot of travel with a limited squad, while Germany handled it differently, as other national teams also relied on a restricted number of players.”

Dortmund was affected by the international break, with Greek defender Konstantinos Koutroumpis and Swede Daniel Svensson sidelined with colds. Algerian Rami Bensebaini returned from Africa yesterday, and American Matthias Albers arrived from the United States today. Meanwhile, Norwegian Julian Ryerson is out with an injury sustained from a challenge, and there is uncertainty over Nico Schlotterbeck’s readiness for the Bremen match.

Kovac continued his criticism of the break, saying: “It’s not just about the injured players; the break also disrupts the team’s rhythm because of the two-and-a-half-week absence from competitive matches.” The Dortmund coach noted that his side started the season with excellent momentum, winning four matches in four games, and added: “We need to regain that rhythm.”