Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has admitted his envy at rivals Bayern Munich for their 'incredible' squad featuring some of the best individual talents.
The Bavarians retained their league crown on 19 April after Dortmund lost back-to-back games to Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim which meant they could not mathematically catch their Der Klassiker rivals anymore.
But the BVB still have quite a few reasons to celebrate as they are on course to achieve a runners-up finish for the first time in three years while also securing their place in next season's Champions League.
Kovac, who is overseeing his first full season in-charge of the club, revealed that while he's satisfied with the team's performance over the last few months, it is down to players after a point.
""As a manager, you can lead a team to a certain point; beyond that, it's down to the players.""said Kovac
He then drew comparisons with his former side Bayern, acknowledging their stellar squad packed with high-profile players such as Harry Kane and Luis Diaz, both of whom have struck a plethora of goals for their side.
""What we perhaps lack a little is what Bayern have in abundance: an incredibly strong squad with many exceptional individual talents. [They are] particularly successful in combining the attractive with the successful. 113 goals in 31 games is extraordinary. Not even the richest clubs in England can offer that at the moment. You have to acknowledge that without envy.""added the Croatian
Despite the gulf in quality between the sides, Kovac does not believe that his team his reached their full potential yet, admitting that there is still scope for more improvement.
""We have great footballers, great quality; we are playing close to our maximum this season. Nevertheless, I see in our daily work that we still have room to grow. Some things take time, and that's something we have very little of today. You build appeal on a foundation of stability; the other way around is harder. We work to be successful. No one ever won a title by talking.""said Kovac
It would be 14 years this month since Dortmund last won the Bundesliga title, something they came agonizingly close to lifting in 2023 but blew it up on the final day as a draw to Mainz allowed Bayern to leapfrog them in first place and clinch the title at their expense.
Commenting on its financial importance, Kovac further said:
""BVB were on the brink of the German title in 2023 and reached the Champions League final in 2024. Of course, participation in the Champions League is hugely important financially, but this goal does not preclude others that go beyond it.""said Kovac
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