Former Bayern coach Kovac officially takes over Dortmund for one and a half years

Dortmund announced on Friday that Niko Kovac will replace Nuri Sahin as the new head coach. Kovac is expected to take office after Dortmund's away game against Heidenheim this weekend, accompanied by his brother Robert Kovac and goalkeeper coach Filip Tapalovic.

It is reported that Dortmund originally planned to offer Kovac a temporary contract for half a year, but extended it to one and a half years at his request. This also means that Kovac will coach Dortmund until June 30, 2026.

Niko Kovac, 53, is a leader among Croatian coaches and is known as a "scientist". He has coached Croatia U21, Croatia, Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, Monaco and Wolfsburg, during which time he led his team to win one Bundesliga title, two German Cup titles and one German Super Cup title.

Dortmund's performance this season is sluggish. After 19 rounds, it ranks 11th in the Bundesliga with 7 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses and 26 points. Dortmund Sports General Manager Lars Ricken said that Kovac is the best candidate to lead the Yellow and Black Army to reverse the decline: "Although we are facing huge challenges, we firmly believe that Nico has the ability to lead the team out of the predicament."

"We have had intensive discussions with Niko Kovac over the past few days and have taken the time to understand each other's expectations. Niko's teams are known for their energy, determination and team spirit, and we hope to see these qualities on and off the pitch."

Kovac said: "The meeting with Lars Ricken was constructive, in-depth, clear and had a clear understanding of the current situation. All the people in charge of Dortmund left us with a very good impression during the meeting, so I am sure we can achieve a lot together in the future."

"What matters most now is that all of us have to have strong determination, a broad mind and the willingness to work hard to represent Dortmund at our best in the Bundesliga, the Champions League and this summer's Club World Cup. We will meet this challenge with determination and focus."