by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Borussia Dortmund heads into the decisive phase of the season with renewed confidence after a timely upswing in form.
The 2024 UEFA Champions League finalist is unbeaten in 15 domestic games and holds a 2-0 lead in its Champions League playoff round against Atalanta, but the coming seven days will test the Black and Yellows' resurgence.
Dortmund hosts RB Leipzig on Saturday, travels to Atalanta for the second leg on Wednesday, and then faces league leader Bayern Munich next weekend in a run that could define both its European and domestic campaigns.
Unlike earlier in the season, coach Niko Kovac believes his team is ready.
Defensive stability and improved efficiency in attack have reshaped Dortmund's balance, reviving ambitions of reaching the Champions League last 16 and reentering the Bundesliga title conversation.
Striker Serhou Guirassy has played a key role, ending a goal drought with six goals in his last four games. Kovac said the team's defensive recovery has been central to what he described as a new equilibrium.
"It's crunch time now," the 54-year-old said. "We're going into the final third of the season with a positive mindset."
Victory over Bayern would cut the gap at the top to three points and inject fresh life into the title race, though Kovac remains cautious.
"The guideline is not to lose if you can't win," said the former Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt coach.
Dortmund has coped with injuries to defenders Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, Filippo Mane and Niklas Sule, with 18-year-old Luca Reggiani stepping in as part of a well-organized unit.
"Processes are robust," Kovac said, stressing that pragmatism and results help sustain morale. "If you don't gain points, sentiments decline."
Schlotterbeck, however, was more direct, speaking openly about the ambition to win the championship.
Dortmund may not be dazzling, but it looks comfortable in its role. As Kovac put it, crunch time is about progress, and for now, Dortmund believes it is moving forward at the right moment. ■
