Gross a doubt for Dortmund ahead of Hoffenheim
Borussia Dortmund will likely be without the injured Pascal Gross and Maximilian Beier when it travels to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga this weekend.
Dortmund is seventh in the Bundesliga with four games left to play, and desperate for a top-four finish to secure a UEFA Champions League spot for next season.
It has won three of its past four league matches and drew with leader Bayern Munich, as it battle to make up for lost ground earlier in the season.
Dortmund's win over Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend was its 900th in the Bundesliga, and it ensured it stretched its unbeaten streak to four games for the first time in 2025.
Dortmund has a good record away at Hoffenheim in recent weeks as well, having won its past four trips there in the Bundesliga.
However, it could be without two keys players for their visit to PreZero Arena.
"Gross has knee ligament problems," Kovac revealed. "I still have some hope, but honestly, I don't think he will make it.
"Maxi is a similar case. He did not train. He can walk, but running is painful, but I also have not yet given up. But obviously we will not take any risks."
Both players were injured in last week's 3-2 win over Gladbach but are not expected to be out for too long.
Beier was Hoffenheim's top goalscorer in the Bundesliga last season with 16 goals.
He has had a hand in three goals for Dortmund in his past two Bundesliga away games – one goal and two assists – as many goal contributions as he managed across his first 12 top-flight away matches for the club.
Dortmund has 45 points, and is four points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig, which faces Eintracht Frankfurt this weekend.
Freiburg is fifth on 48 points and visits Wolfsburg, while Mainz, which travels to Bayern Munich, is sixth with 47.
"The finish is approaching. The feeling I get is during this crunch time every player wants to be there, to go beyond any pain," Kovac said.
"I am happy that the lads recognise the situation. Everyone can read the standings. Everyone knows what is at stake, and everyone has to increase their focus," he added.
"It does not matter thinking what can happen on May 17. We have to keep doing our homework and focus only on the next game. We cannot look at the teams in front of us. We just have to keep winning to put pressure on them."
