Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has called on Bayern Munich assistant Aaron Danks to apologise following a verbal altercation during Saturday’s DFL-Supercup at Signal Iduna Park.
The touchline exchange took place as the two sides met in the traditional season-opening fixture. While Kovac declined to reveal the specific words used, he made clear that he found Danks’s remarks unacceptable.
Kovac: “He should apologise”
Speaking to Kicker, the Dortmund coach explained that he understood precisely what was said despite the heated atmosphere of the stadium. “My English is quite good, so I understood very well what he was trying to tell me,” Kovac stated.
He continued: “It wasn’t okay. It’s up to him; he should apologise.” Kovac chose not to disclose the exact nature of the comments, maintaining discretion while insisting that Danks take responsibility for his actions.
Fallout from the fixture
The incident occurred during the DFL-Supercup, the annual contest between the Bundesliga champions and DFB-Pokal winners. Played at Dortmund’s home ground, the fixture often carries significant emotional weight as both teams look to establish early momentum.
Danks has not publicly responded to Kovac’s demand. The Bayern assistant’s silence leaves the matter unresolved as the German football season begins in earnest.
Kovac’s decision to address the confrontation publicly places scrutiny on touchline conduct at the highest level. By refusing to detail the exchange while explicitly requesting an apology, the Dortmund coach has placed the onus on Danks to acknowledge any wrongdoing.
The footballing community now awaits whether the Bayern assistant will offer the requested apology or maintain his silence on the exchange. Either development is likely to draw further attention to standards of behaviour among coaching staffs during high-stakes encounters.