Kovac backs Guirassy to end Bundesliga drought against Bayern

Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac is confident that Serhou Guirassy can rediscover his form in front of goal following the international break. 

Guirassy netted 21 goals in 30 Bundesliga appearances in 2024-25, a total only bettered by Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (26) in the top-flight. 

And the Dortmund talisman started the league season in fine form after scoring four goals in his first three outings against St. Pauli, Union Berlin and Heidenheim. 

Indeed, the match against Heidenheim was the eighth consecutive Bundesliga game in which he found the back of the net.

Among all non-German players in the division's history, only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10) and Robert Lewandowski (four times, the longest streak 15 games in a row) had longer such runs.

However, since then, he has failed to score in his last three league matches, though he did net against Athletic Bilbao in a 4-1 win in the Champions League. 

"For me, Serhou is very, very important. He remains the life insurance because he is an important part of this team," Kovac said.

"He radiates danger, but you also have to observe that he has been covered by two people in the last Bundesliga games.

"Whether it was against Wolfsburg or in the last game against Leipzig. So there are already two people he binds.

"That means others get a little more freedom, but they try to take our top striker out of the game somewhere. That's why it's not so easy for him.

"But I know that he will give us what we need again in the next few weeks: his goals."

Since signing for Dortmund in July 2024, only Kane (59), Kylian Mbappe (58), Erling Haaland (46) and Lewandowski (46) have scored more than Guirassy's 44 across Europe's top five leagues in all competitions. 

Dortmund's first game back after the international break does not get any bigger, with a trip to leaders Bayern their next Bundesliga assignment on October 18.

Kovac's team are second in the table, four points adrift of Bayern after being held to a 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig in their last domestic clash. 

The 53-year-old replaced Nuri Sahin in January earlier this year, with Kovac taking charge of a Dortmund team that found themselves languishing in 11th. 

Under his stewardship, Dortmund were able to resurrect their season and seal Champions League football on the final matchday. 

Kovac extended his contract with the club until 2027 in August, though he believes the same hunger in his squad remains from when he first took charge and now. 

"No, the hunger was the same. Of course, they came out of a period of weakness at the time, so their self-confidence was not at the highest level," Kovac added.

"But that has developed, and every single player has the quality to be an international player.

"Accordingly, the boys are intrinsically very motivated that a season like the last one doesn't happen in this form again.

"That's why I think with all the things I just mentioned, but also with the motivation itself not to run behind again at the beginning, there was a push, a jolt in the team."