Kovac hails Dortmund after UCL qualification
Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac paid tribute to his players, insisting "you cannot achieve anything alone" after sealing their place in next season's UEFA Champions League.
The Black and Yellow secured fourth place in Bundesliga after a 3-0 victory over relegated Holstein Kiel, leapfrogging Freiburg after its 3-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on the final day of the campaign.
Serhou Guirassy's early penalty settled Dortmund's nerves, while Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha were also on target after the break at Signal Iduna Park.
It marked a remarkable turnaround for Kovac's side, which looked set for a disappointing mid-table finish earlier in the season.
Dortmund became only the second side in Bundesliga's three-points-for-a-win era to make up 10 points to fourth place in the second half of a campaign, after Bayer Leverkusen in 2018-2019.
Kovac was delighted to have ensured the club's return to the Champions League, but didn't get too carried away.
"We are all happy, but there is no reason to celebrate," he said.
"I am happy, and we are all happy to have pushed this through, to have taken that last step which is sometimes difficult to take.
"For a long time, we were just passengers and, on the final matchday, we were in the driving seat and did it just in time. I did my job, but I want to underline that you cannot achieve anything in football alone."
Dortmund's players will now embark on a two-week break before returning to training in early June, ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
