Niko Kovac viewed Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League as a valuable lesson. Phil Foden shone with two goals, while Erling Haaland also scored against his former team.
Waldemar Anton briefly reduced the deficit, but Rayan Cherki's late goal secured City's comfortable win.
Dortmund's struggles continue, having lost seven of their last eight away games against English Premier League teams in the Champions League. They have conceded at least twice in each of these defeats. Kovac believes that if Dortmund had been more efficient with their chances, the result might have been different.
Phil Foden's impressive performance was pivotal for City, scoring twice and showcasing his skill. Erling Haaland added another goal against his old club, demonstrating City's attacking prowess. Despite Dortmund's efforts, they couldn't match City's quality on the day.
Kovac acknowledged City's strength, stating: "We saw that City are a fantastic team. " He praised his team's initial performance but noted how City increased their tempo and displayed their quality as the game progressed.
Kovac highlighted the importance of capitalising on scoring opportunities against top teams like City. He said: "When you get these opportunities, you must be very accurate. " Dortmund had promising moments but lacked precision when it mattered most.
Disappointing tonight. We regroup, reset, and go again at the weekend. As always, your support was unbelievable. Safe travels home and see you in Hamburg. pic.twitter.com/ZyhMi22YH5 Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) November 5, 2025
The defeat places Dortmund 14th in the league phase of the competition. Meanwhile, Manchester City sits comfortably in fourth place with ten points from their first four matches.
Kovac remains optimistic about learning from this experience: "We should be better, but it's a learning experience for us. " He congratulated City on their victory and emphasised the need for Dortmund to continue improving.
