Dortmund’s Niko Kovac Acknowledges Barcelona’s Superior Quality Compared to Lille

Niko Kovac, the head coach of Borussia Dortmund, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s 2-1 comeback win over Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday. However, he acknowledged that they would have to elevate their performance further to overcome Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

The German side had previously drawn 1-1 at home and fell behind early in the away match in France, conceding just five minutes in. Nonetheless, they rallied back to score twice in the second half, securing a 3-2 victory on aggregate.

“It was a fantastic team effort. It was disappointing to go a goal down, yet the team continued to dominate the match,” Kovac told DAZN.

“Overall, there were numerous opportunities for an away match in the Champions League. That demonstrates the quality of the team and that they excel in situations like this.”

Kovac anticipated a more challenging contest next month against Barcelona, who cruised past Benfica in the round of 16, but he remains optimistic about his team’s prospects against the Spaniards.

“Lille are a formidable opponent with the ball. However, Barcelona will present an even greater challenge,” Kovac remarked.

“This means we must maximise our opportunities when we have possession. When we’re not in possession, it’s crucial that we defend cohesively. But we also have quality players with pace that we can utilise to exploit our opponents.”