On the back of Der Klassiker and rolling right into a UCL encounter with F.C. Copenhagen, Niko Kovac addressed the need for every player in his squad with matches coming thick and fast. Borussia Dortmund
will only have about 72 hours between the end of match in Munich, and kickoff in Copenhagen. Word is that Daniel Svensson is in that machine from Captain America: The First Avenger as we speak.
In the UCL presser, Kovac highlighted that Fabio Silva has worked his way back from injury and will be in contention for more matches going forward. Kovac also quieted some of the heat around Jobe Bellingham, noting that the young Englishman can expect more field time as well.
“I will certainly be making changes here and there. I won’t reveal anything about tomorrow, but one thing is certain; everyone will get their chance during this phase.”
Ideally, this should mean that all of Fabio Silva, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Jobe Bellingham will see more minutes in the coming weeks. This will be critical for BVB, especially in the midfield. Marcel Sabitzer has been playing at a high level for weeks, but the Austrian will not be able to sustain his form with Daniel Svensson-level minutes. As for Pascal Groß, BVB’s veteran midfielder is great for a bit of creativity, but he showed his age in Munich.
While Bellingham will likely slot in next to (or instead of) Felix Nmecha, the other two clear candidates for minutes will be more interesting to follow. Kovac has spent most of the season lining up two attackers behind Serhou Guirassy, as I noted here. With Fabio Silva in the mix, will Dortmund move to a more conventional 5-2-1-2 where both strikers get in the mix, or can we expect only one of the two poachers at a time? As for Chukwuemeka, is the young Englishman truly ready for 90-minute matches? I, for one, think it’s time to put his legs to the test.
Catch BVB’s entire UCL press conference here:
