Dortmund won't surrender as Bayern targets title
Borussia Dortmund is determined not to roll over and allow Bayern Munich to celebrate an early Bundesliga title win, Niko Kovac declared ahead of his side's trip to Hoffenheim.
Robert Andrich's goal was decisive as Dortmund lost 1-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen last time out, leaving Kovac's side 12 points behind Bayern with five matches remaining.
That means Vincent Kompany's Bayern can wrap up the title this weekend, should it win at home to Stuttgart and Dortmund fails to beat top-four hopeful Hoffenheim.
If Bayern clinches the trophy with four matchdays remaining, it will be the fifth-earliest title win in Bundesliga history.
It previously got the job done with seven games remaining in 2013-2014, six in 2012-2013 and five in 2017-2018. Leverkusen also wrapped up its 2023-2024 title with five games left, going on to complete an unbeaten season.
But Kovac pointed out that Dortmund still has plenty to play for.
"We still want to win games, and we have to win them," he said.
"It wouldn't be nice if we now say, 'The season is over and we'll just tick it all off.' We still have a lot of points to get. We can still set one or two club records. That is our goal."
Kovac confirmed Dortmund will be without Emre Can, Felix Nmecha and Karim Adeyemi for the game, with the latter out with an undisclosed muscle issue.
"We have three absences, with Emre, Felix and Karim. Those three are not available.
"Karim has muscular problems that rule him out completely. Otherwise, [Yan] Couto is back in the squad. We have three injured players, and everyone else is fit."
Hoffenheim sits sixth on the table after fighting back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Augsburg in its most recent game.
It is five points behind RB Leipzig, which currently occupies the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot, and a point off Leverkusen in fifth.
