Kovac Demands More Ahead Of Vfb Stuttgart Vs Dortmund
vfb stuttgart vs dortmund is now a test of control, urgency, and endurance for Borussia Dortmund as they head into Saturday’s Bundesliga meeting at the MHPArena. Niko Kovac wants his side to build on the second half against Hamburg, when Dortmund overturned a 0: 2 deficit to win 3: 2. With seven league games left, Dortmund sit nine points behind Bayern Munich, while third-placed Stuttgart are eight points further back.
What Kovac wants from Dortmund
The message from Kovac is direct: Dortmund must keep their level high for the full 90 minutes if they want to take anything home from Stuttgart. He said the team must show over the full match what they showed after the break against Hamburg, warning that anything less would make the task much harder. In his view, the match is a clear second-versus-third contest, and Dortmund want to win it.
The recent Hamburg comeback offered a reminder of Dortmund’s attacking capacity. Ramy Bensebaini converted two penalties, with Serhou Guirassy scoring in between, but Kovac’s focus is not on the comeback alone. His concern is whether Dortmund can reproduce that intensity from the start and sustain it under pressure against a Stuttgart side chasing its own league position.
Team news and selection questions
Dortmund will be without Felix Nmecha, who suffered a knee injury against Hamburg and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Kovac said Julian Brandt and Carney Chukwuemeka are among the options to fill the gap, but he has not made a final decision yet and is waiting until Saturday.
That missing piece adds extra weight to a game that already carries significance in the standings. Dortmund need points to stay in touch above them, and Stuttgart have their own incentive to protect a strong position in the table. In a tight run-in, small absences and sharp decisions can quickly shape the result.
Stuttgart’s edge in the recent meetings
There is also a clear recent pattern in this matchup. Under Sebastian Hoeneß, Stuttgart have not lost any of their seven competitive games against Dortmund, posting five wins and two draws. That is a sharp contrast to the 17 meetings before that spell, when Stuttgart lost 14 times and won only once.
For Dortmund, that history adds another layer to a game that already feels like a pressure point in the race. The matchup has shifted in Stuttgart’s favor in recent seasons, and Dortmund now face the challenge of changing that story while managing fitness issues and a demanding league position.
Immediate pressure on both sides
Guirassy also brings a personal angle into the game, because he will face his former club and is expected to be especially motivated. Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav arrives in strong form as well, having scored in six straight Bundesliga matches for the first time in his career and moving closer to a club record. His current season total stands at 18 league goals, matching his best mark from 2023-24.
vfb stuttgart vs dortmund therefore arrives with form, history, and table pressure all pulling in different directions. Kovac has made the target plain, and the next step will be whether Dortmund can answer it over 90 minutes in Stuttgart.
