Dortmund Seeks Champions League Spot Against Holstein Kiel

Borussia Dortmund, having won six of their last seven league matches including a recent 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, have climbed from 11th to 5th place and are aiming for a Champions League spot in their final game of the season against already-relegated Holstein Kiel. Dortmund sits one point behind Freiburg in fourth and three behind Eintracht Frankfurt in third, with the latter two facing each other, meaning Dortmund can guarantee a top-four finish by winning at home by at least three goals regardless of other results. Coach Niko Kovac emphasized the importance of treating the match like a final, focusing solely on their own performance without distraction from other games, and acknowledged the challenge ahead. Failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a significant sporting and financial setback for Dortmund, who were finalists in the competition last season. Kovac stressed maintaining usual preparations and building tension within the squad to deliver the needed performance. The team and coach remain confident but realistic about the difficulty of the task.