Kovac braced for tough Mainz test
Despite 12 places and 27 points separating Borussia Dortmund and Mainz in the Bundesliga, Niko Kovac said his team's upcoming clash was far from a foregone conclusion.
Dortmund is second in the top-flight after a fine recent run of form and is within six points of leader Bayern Munich ahead of welcoming Mainz to Westfalenstadion on Saturday.
BVB is also still in with a chance of another trophy after reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, with a two-legged tie against Atalanta to come later this month.
The Bundesliga giant will face RB Leipzig and Bayern either side of their European commitments, and Kovac acknowledged the importance of his team's upcoming fixtures.
"We now have five important matches in two weeks," Kovac said. "Mainz is the most important game for me because a win will help us to prepare for the upcoming games."
Dortmund takes on a Mainz side revitalised under Urs Fischer since the 59 year-old replaced Bo Henriksen at the end of last year.
Mainz has already picked up 13 points in six Bundesliga games in 2026, climbing to 14th in the table after sitting at the bottom of the table with eight points after 15 games.
Only Dortmund (16) and Hoffenheim (15) have collected more points than Mainz (13, level with Bayern and Stuttgart) in the Bundesliga this year.
In addition, Fischer has picked up 15 points in his first eight Bundesliga games with Mainz. Only Jurgen Klopp in 2004-05 previously picked up at least as many points in his first eight top-flight matches with the club.
"I'm delighted that he's back in the Bundesliga. He did a great job in Berlin," Kovac said of Fischer. "You can see that he's now demonstrating those qualities at Mainz too.
"Mainz are fighting for survival. They put in good performances in Munich and Leipzig. This is not a walkover, this is a very well-prepared team."
Kovac also confirmed that Marcel Sabitzer and Karim Adeyemi are in line for a return to the squad after missing the 2-1 win over Wolfsburg.
Yan Couto could also be back in contention after recovering from illness, but Emre Can and Filippo Mane are still out with injuries, while Nico Schlotterbeck is suspended.
"I am convinced that we have enough quality to win the game," Kovac said.
