Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac is proud of his team’s effort despite their quarter-final exit from the UEFA Champions League, Afrosport reports.
The German heavyweights lost the first leg against Barcelona 4-0 and put a brave fight to win the second leg 3-1, Guinea forward Guirassy netting a hat-trick.
The effort was not enough as Dortmund lost 5-3 on aggregate but Kovac was full of praise for his players.
“I think we played a very good football match. I am very happy. My team played extraordinarily from minute one,” the Croatian said.
“Facing very good opponents. We are sad we’ve been kicked out of the tournament. But we are satisfied and proud of our guys who have fought bravely.”
Kovac added: “In the end this isn’t about being a young team or a team with experienced players.
“We have the quality. And we’ve been improving throughout the season. I am very satisfied with the team and their performance.
“We are fighting for the three competitions. We are in the semi-finals of the Champions League. And that’s a great success. We must rejoice.”
Not the ending we hoped for, but plenty of moments to remember. 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/xF4CVcXOnX
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) April 16, 2025
Dortmund will now turn their attention to the Bundesliga for the remainder of the season. They are currently eighth in the standings with five games left to end the season, and are six points away from the Champions League places.
