Kovac lauds stand-in Dortmund captain Anton

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Niko Kovac believes Waldemar Anton provides the perfect example for young players at Borussia Dortmund as they prepare for their Champions League opener.

Dortmund begin their campaign by hosting Villarreal on Tuesday, with Anton set to wear the armband for Kovac’s side.

Club captain Emre Can was left out of BVB’s Champions League squad as he recovers from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Anton has worn the armband in all of Dortmund’s competitive games this term, and Kovac revealed it was an easy decision to give the defender the captaincy.

“He is someone who leads by example; someone who never gives up,” Kovac said about Anton.

“And that is what is needed – especially to set an example for the young players.

“He was already a captain in spirit last season, even without the armband, because his presence brings the other players along with him.”

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) September 6, 2026

The only previous meeting between Dortmund and Villarreal came in the Champions League last season, with the German side running out 4-0 winners at Signal Iduna Park.

In their win last season, Dortmund recorded 4.03 xG from just 13 shots in the match. This was their second-highest xG total in any game they played in 2025-26 (all competitions), only behind their 5.99 against Hamburg in March.

Dortmund have also lost just two of their last 23 home games in the Champions League (W14 D7), with those defeats coming against Barcelona (2-3 in December 2024) and Inter (0-2 in January this year).

“The anticipation is huge,” said Anton ahead of Dortmund’s opener.

“A home game in the Champions League is something special for every player. Last season is behind us. Now we have to move forward and take the first step tomorrow.”

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