Kovac to take over as Dortmund coach after Champions League progression
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - VFL Wolfsburg unveil new coach Nico Kovac - Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany - June 20, 2022 New VFL Wolfsburg coach Nico Kovac poses for a photograph on the pitch after the unveiling REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo
DORTMUND, Germany :Croatian coach Niko Kovac is set to take over at Borussia Dortmund following a 3-1 home win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday that saw them advance to the Champions League playoffs.
The Ruhr valley side fired coach Nuri Sahin a week ago after a run of poor results and shortly after kick-off German media reported that Kovac, who has played and managed in the Bundesliga, was waiting in the wings to take over.
"We have reached an agreement in principle with Nico Kovac, he will take over the team on Sunday," managing director Lars Ricken told broadcaster DAZN.
Interim coach Mike Tullberg, who stepped up from the club's Under-19 side after the sacking of Sahin, will be at the helm when Dortmund visit Heidenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Tullberg picked up the side's first Bundesliga point of the year in a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen and followed that up with Wednesday's win, with two first-half goals from Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy and a late Ramy Bensebaini effort enough for 10th spot in the Champions League table.
"Feeling insane, pure emotion. I think that we took a step in the right direction against Bremen on Saturday and we took the right step today. Now I would hope that we take the third step on Saturday," Tullberg told reporters.
The German side finished among the seeded teams and will now face either Belgium's Club Brugge or Sporting of Portugal in a two-legged playoff with a place in the last 16 at stake, and goal-scorer Guirassy is looking forward to the challenge.
"It was a positive result. I'm pleased with my two goals and that they helped us get the win. I'm on nine (Champions League) goals for the season so I'm very happy but we now have the playoff to focus on," he said.
