Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač has told his squad to have a holiday after Saturday’s Bundesliga finale at Werder Bremen but not to indulge in “lazing around” thereafter.
Players who are not flying with their national teams to the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico will have eight weeks off – but they are expected to stick to a fitness plan for seven of them.
“The staff have earned it, just like the players,” Kovač told a news conference on Friday.
“It sounds like a lot, but it isn’t. They do nothing for one week and work for seven weeks … with the programme they get from us. The lads will certainly not be lazing around. You know me – there is no lazing around.”
The Croatian is well-known for his hard-nosed approach and has been credited with Dortmund looking more professional this season as they wrapped up second spot in the Bundesliga – albeit a long way behind champions Bayern Munich.
“If I sum everything up, we are very satisfied with what we have shown this season,” he said after sealing a Champions League return with weeks to spare.
His big regret of the campaign was the Champions League play-off loss to Atalanta Bergamo in February, where they led 2-0 after the home leg but then lost 4-1 in Italy.
“It was one round too few,” the coach said. “It was our own fault because we had everything in our own hands.”