BVB news: Barcelona chase Guirassy, Benkara to Fürth, Kovac extension considered

News summary

Dortmund are keen to discuss extending Niko Kovac's contract, which expires in June 2027. Kovac has the third-highest win percentage of any Dortmund manager in the Champions League era, though a Friday look at his second season asks whether he can produce football worth watching while also getting results.

The omens are good for Kovac's side, which has won nine Bundesliga home openers on the bounce since 2015/16.

Hamburger SV are today's visitors, marking the fourth time that BVB have played them on the opening day of the season.

BVB have been drawn to face Arsenal and Inter in the league phase of the Champions League along with six other opponents that BVB Buzz has ranked from easiest to hardest.

Dortmund's first-ever Bundesliga goal, scored by Timo Konietzka in 1963, has been recreated by AI. As no photographs or video exist of the goal, Vodafone have rebuilt the historical moment. Dortmund's U19 side restaged it for the cameras, and the clip went out to supporters overnight.

Nearly twelve million euros have been spent on improvements at Signal Iduna Park this summer.

The money bought a new pitch and refurbished Südtribüne, plus refitted toilet blocks and two redesigned VIP rooms for hospitality guests.

Matchday: Hamburg at Signal Iduna Park

Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck are the only long-term absentees. Kovac has the rest of the squad available to select from.

Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias look likely to start behind Guirassy this afternoon as Dortmund look to get the campaign off to a flying start.

Joane Gadou will start on the left side of the back three alongside Anton and Bensebaini.

Hamburg come in off a 3-0 cup win at third-tier Verl. Albert Grønbæk scored twice that afternoon.

Hamburg's new striker Patson Daka, who set up one of the goals at Verl, could debut for SV tonight.

Transfer news

Greuther Fürth have taken Elias Benkara on loan with an obligation to buy. Benkara is 19 and is a highly rated product of Dortmund's academy.

Barcelona have reportedly made a very late enquiry into Guirassy's availability just as the Bundesliga season kicks off in earnest. Guirassy's contract expires in June 2028, and no extension talks have begun. This means that BVB could be held to ransom next summer with just a year left on the Guinean striker.

Fabio Silva may not be the only player at Dortmund keen to see the back of Guirassy, who Nico Kovač has described as his number one striker. Silva has not been backward in coming forward about the role he sees himself in at the club.

Max Beier is champing at the bit for a run in the side, and the German could easily become a target for an English Premier League club if his opportunities run dry.

BVB Buzz opinion

Now is the time to give Nico Kovač an extended contract. The Croatian has earned a new deal after securing Champions League football and beating last season's Champions League runners-up in the pre-season Emirates Cup.

However, it is not the time to sell Serhou Guirassy to a Champions League rival without sufficient time to find a replacement.

If Barcelona keep asking, Dortmund should keep saying no.

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