Niko Kovac has hinted at possible changes to Borussia Dortmund's line-up for their Champions League match against Copenhagen on Tuesday. Following a Bundesliga loss to Bayern Munich, Dortmund aims to recover
in this European clash. Currently, they sit seventh in the league standings with four points from two games, having defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in their last European outing.
Under Kovac's leadership, Dortmund has only lost one of their eight Champions League matches, boasting a record of four wins and three draws. This gives him the lowest loss percentage (13%) among managers with at least two games in charge of the team in this competition. However, Dortmund faces a challenging schedule with six away matches lined up until November 8.
Kovac emphasised the need for squad rotation due to the extensive travel involved. "Five of our next six games are away games. That means we'll be travelling a lot, of course," he stated. He assured that all players would have opportunities during this period, though he remained tight-lipped about specific changes for Tuesday's game.
Dortmund's history against Danish teams is favourable, having never lost in three previous away encounters (one win, two draws). Their sole Champions League meeting with Copenhagen ended in a 1-1 draw during the 2022-23 group stage. The team aims to score three or more goals in four consecutive European matches for the first time.
Kovac stressed the importance of securing points early in the competition to avoid last year's play-off scenario. "We want to score points here tomorrow and climb as high as possible in the table," he mentioned. The upcoming trip to Manchester presents another tough challenge, but avoiding additional play-off games remains a priority.
Off to Copenhagen!pic.twitter.com/MCSbQPaIiA Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) October 20, 2025
Despite being favourites according to Opta's supercomputer simulations, which give them a 48.4% chance of winning, Kovac anticipates a challenging match against Copenhagen. He noted that knowing all opposing players can simplify preparation but acknowledged that injuries might motivate replacements to prove themselves.
Kovac concluded by highlighting his team's focus on their own performance and securing points against what he described as "a very respectable opponent. " This approach reflects his strategy of maintaining momentum through careful management of player resources and tactical adjustments.
