Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac was pleased with the level of control his team showed in their 0-0 draw at home to Sporting CP in the Champions League play-off knockout round.

That result helped see the German side through to the round of 16, where they will face either Aston Villa or Lille, following a 3-0 away win in the first leg.

While the match itself had no goals, with Serhou Guirassy seeing a penalty saved, Kovac was a happy man to see his side keep only their second clean sheet in 16 matches in all competitions.

“We controlled the game and didn't concede anything over 90 minutes. The bottom line is that we've progressed. The team played with great concentration today," he said.

"We didn't concede anything, were very good defensively and were able to create momentum going forward in the second half.

"At the moment, we lack the gallantry to capitalise on the chances we have in the box. You have to give the lads a good talking to."

Dortmund have come under intense pressure during the 2024-25 season for massively underperforming expectations, and they are currently 11th in the Bundesliga, eight points off the top four.

Their poor performance ultimately led to previous head coach Nuri Sahin losing his job last month.

Kovac, though, spoke about how he has tried to raise standards, explaining that his players are talented enough to reach the expectations set out.

“We all know that they can play football, we also know that the head plays a big role," he said.

"If you don't get the results and finish 11th in the Bundesliga, there's always going to be criticism. The lads can't just shake that off.

“But we try to show them the things they do really well. I'm very confident that the lads will gain even more self-confidence in the next few games through good results.

“I believe in it and as a coach I have to believe in it too. That's why we'll go through everything that lies ahead together."