Borussia Dortmund coach brands Barcelona as favourites, praises La Masia prodigy | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has stated that while FC Barcelona are “certainly the favourites”, his team are fully prepared to challenge them in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg at Montjuic.

Dortmund chose not to train in Barcelona on the eve of the game, having completed their session in Germany before flying out. However, Kovac and centre-back Waldemar Anton attended the pre-match press conference at Montjuic.

Barcelona favourites, insists Kovac

Leading up to the game, Kovac shifted the pressure to the Catalans, stating that they are the favourites and that there was no pressure on Dortmund.

“Barcelona are certainly the favourites. But Dortmund reached the final last season, and nobody expected that,” he noted.

“We have worked hard and fought to be here. We may not be the favourites, but that does not make it easier for the opponent. We believe in ourselves and are in good form. We definitely have a chance to reach the semi-finals.”

Kovac also noted that Barcelona’s high defensive line could open up opportunities for his team, saying:

“We know they defend from midfield. We have a lot of pace and can always cause problems.”

On his relationship with Flick

Kovac knows Barcelona manager Hansi Flick very well, having worked with him in the past, most recently at Bayern Munich where the Blaugrana head coach was part of the former’s staff.

“We know each other well,” he said, referring to his personal friendship with the Barcelona coach.

“We appreciate each other as people. We also know how we each see football. There will be no surprises. I know Hansi very well, and I do not imagine he is dreaming about a treble. He wants to do a good job first,” he added.

Flick set to catch up with Kovac. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Commenting on Flick’s style of play, Kovac further noted: “We saw it at Bayern and with the German national team: very attacking, technical football. That is why he was hired.

“He always wants to keep the ball far from his goal. He fits in well and has always been a great admirer of Spain. He often spent his holidays here.”

On Lamine Yamal and Barcelona’s threats

When asked about a specific plan to contain Barcelona teenage wonderkid Lamine Yamal, Kovac said:

“What can I say about Lamine? Besides what you already know, he is an excellent footballer, raised here, with a huge career ahead of him.

“We know his strengths. The aim is to neutralise them, which will not be easy. But it is not about stopping just one player. We are here to get a good result.”

Kovac acknowledged Barcelona’s quality but also hinted at vulnerabilities that his team can exploit.

“Barcelona have many strong points, but every team has weaknesses too – although I will not speak too much about them now. We have come here with the intention to win,” he remarked.

Source: Mundo Deportivo