Borussia Dortmund news: Matthias Sammer backs Niko Kovac as Marc Bartra prepares for emotional return
Borussia Dortmund head into a busy stretch of the season with two compelling stories in focus: adviser Matthias Sammer has defended coach Niko Kovac from criticism of the team’s playing style, while former defender Marc Bartra is preparing to return to Signal Iduna Park with Real Betis. The developments add extra interest to Dortmund’s upcoming fixtures, where strong results could help shape both their Bundesliga title challenge and their Champions League campaign.
After eight Bundesliga matches, Dortmund are level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the table. Yet their progress has not silenced every critic. Some observers argue that the Black and Yellows have prioritised results over expansive, eye-catching football. Sammer, however, believes that criticism overlooks the work Kovac has done since taking charge in February 2025.
Sammer defends Kovac’s leadership and results
Speaking on Sky90, Sammer praised Kovac’s ability to connect with his players and establish trust within the squad. While tactical decisions often dominate public discussion, the Dortmund adviser argued that leadership and credibility are just as important to a team’s success.
Sammer described the coach as a gentleman who carries himself with authority and treats his players with respect. In his view, Kovac’s people-management skills are a major part of his contribution, even if they receive less attention than formations, pressing systems or individual performances.
The adviser also pointed to the foundations built during Kovac’s time in charge. He said Dortmund had made significant progress since the Croatian arrived, and challenged the idea that the coach’s work should be judged primarily through debates about whether the football is entertaining enough.
Why Dortmund’s points record matters
Kovac is averaging two points per Bundesliga match, a return that gives Dortmund a strong platform in the title race. Sammer questioned why that record has not ended the recurring doubts surrounding the coach, particularly while the team remains level with Bayern near the top of the standings.
His defence reflects a familiar tension in football: supporters want both attractive performances and reliable results, but those ambitions do not always align. A team may need to be pragmatic during difficult spells, especially when competing across domestic and European competitions. For Dortmund, the challenge will be to maintain their points pace while showing enough attacking quality to satisfy fans and keep rivals under pressure.
The coming weeks will offer a useful test of that balance. Dortmund face a Champions League meeting with Real Betis before returning to Bundesliga action, followed by demanding matches against Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen. Their European schedule also includes a trip to Arsenal, a fixture that could provide a clearer measure of Kovac’s side against elite opposition.
Marc Bartra returns to Dortmund with Real Betis
The match against Real Betis will carry a personal significance for Marc Bartra. The Spanish defender played for Dortmund from 2016 to 2018 and is now set to return to the club’s home ground as a member of the Seville side. Almost nine years after leaving the Ruhr region, he will once again step onto the pitch at Signal Iduna Park.
Bartra made 51 competitive appearances for Dortmund. His time at the club is also connected to the attack on the team bus on 11 April 2017, in which he was the only member of the squad injured. He has said he no longer wants to focus on that traumatic episode, preferring instead to reflect on how it changed his perspective on life.
In comments to SID, Bartra said the experience taught him to value his family, teammates and everyday moments that people can sometimes take for granted. He also linked that outlook to the lasting bond he feels with Dortmund and its supporters. The city, he said, will always hold a special place in his heart.
A special stadium and a lasting connection
Bartra described his return with Betis in the Champions League as a gift and said he was looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere again. His memories of the stadium are especially vivid: he has spoken of the Westfalenstadion as a place whose energy can be felt as much as heard.
That reputation is a major part of Dortmund’s identity. The famous Yellow Wall and the noise generated by a packed crowd can make Signal Iduna Park one of the most intimidating venues in European football. For visiting teams, the atmosphere can raise the intensity of every challenge; for returning players such as Bartra, it can bring back powerful memories of their time in black and yellow.
His return also gives the fixture an emotional dimension beyond the result. Dortmund supporters will have an opportunity to welcome back a former player whose connection with the club remained strong after his departure. At the same time, Bartra will be focused on helping Betis compete in a high-profile European contest.
Dortmund’s upcoming fixtures
Dortmund’s schedule offers little room to pause after the Betis match. The team are due to face SV Elversberg in the Bundesliga, travel to Borussia Mönchengladbach, and then meet Arsenal in the Champions League. A home game against Bayer Leverkusen rounds out the listed run of fixtures.
- 4 November: Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Betis — Champions League
- 7 November: Borussia Dortmund vs. SV Elversberg — Bundesliga
- 21 November: Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund — Bundesliga
- 24 November: Arsenal vs. Borussia Dortmund — Champions League
- 29 November: Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayer Leverkusen — Bundesliga
For fans weighing up a football prediction, Dortmund’s league position and Kovac’s points record provide reasons for confidence, but the schedule is demanding and each competition brings different pressures. The Betis match will test Dortmund’s European credentials while giving Bartra a memorable reunion. Beyond the result, the wider question remains whether Kovac can keep delivering points while gradually answering those who want more expressive football.
For now, Sammer’s message is clear: Dortmund’s progress should not be dismissed because the team’s style does not always satisfy every critic. With a title race underway, a major European fixture approaching and a former player returning to the Ruhr, the next few matches could reveal a great deal about the direction of Kovac’s Borussia Dortmund.
