When Niko Kovač took over at Borussia Dortmund in early February, his side was 11th in the Bundesliga and appeared likely to miss out on European football in the 2025/2026 season.
Even as we reached the end of March, Dortmund had hardly moved an inch in the standings, as they still occupied a place in the lower half of the league.
Following the March international break, Kovač decided to change the teams tactical structure, shifting away from their usual 4-2-3-1 formation and adopting a 3-4-2-1 shape.
Their only loss after the international break came against Barcelona away in April, when they lined up in a 4-5-1 formation.
With their 3-4-2-1 tactics, Dortmund has now gone 13 games unbeaten.
They qualified for the UEFA Champions League again and are set to face Real Madrid in the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal.
This tactical analysis will delve into the tweaks that the Croatian manager has made to bring this Dortmund team back to performing at a high level and what that could mean for them going into next season.
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Niko Kovač Borussia Dortmund Tactics & Setup
After attempting to initially continue with the 4-2-3-1 structure that had been tried by many previous Dortmund managers, including his predecessor Nuri Şahin, Niko Kovač quickly learned that the teams defensive struggles wouldnt be fixed in this system.
The unbalanced squad, which lacks a true defensive-minded midfielder who can hold his position in front of the defence, combined with full-backs who tend to push up, left Dortmund far too exposed, especially in transitions, where they conceded a host of chances throughout the season.
In late March, Kovač adopted a new base structure in the home game against Mainz: a 3-4-2-1 formation, which consists of three central defenders, two wing-backs, two midfielders in the centre of the park, and two attacking midfielders flanking a centre-forward.
The obvious change from before is the installation of a third central defender for an attacking player, which was a necessary move given BVBs issues at the back.
By having that extra cover behind them, this system also allows both wing-backs and the central midfielders more room to focus on what theyre good at, which is going forward and not playing a defensive game.
Niko Kovač places high de
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