Niko Kovac calls them ‘finishers’

With the score at 1:0 in the home game against the newly promoted side, Kovac brought on Felix Nmecha , Marcel Sabitzer and Carney Chukwuemeka after just over an hour; Maximilian Beier and Ramy Bensebaini followed a little under 15 minutes before the end.

Fabio Silva had already scored the 1:2 as a substitute in the Super Cup against FC Bayern Munich , and last weekend the Portuguese forward came off the bench to make it 2:2 at TSG Hoffenheim before Ethan Nwaneri , also a substitute in that match, forced the own goal for the 3:2 winner. In midweek, Serhou Guirassy benefited from an assist by the substituted-in Silva for his goal to make it 2:1 against Villarreal CF (final score 3:2). And now Paderborn: two goals from super-sub Nmecha, plus a shot off the crossbar from Sabitzer.

Niko Kovac calls them "finishers." The ones who come on "can steer games in the right direction. And we already have quite a few of them," says the head coach.

Already in the previous 2025/26 Bundesliga season, only Bayern Munich's substitutes (20) scored more often than Borussia Dortmund 's (19).

"We need a squad with quality, breadth and depth," Kovac stresses, repeatedly showing how to influence games successfully with his decisions. But he does not talk about himself, instead emphasizing: "We have a lot more people than just eleven – and I'm very happy about that."

The fact that so much quality is sitting on the bench also has pragmatic reasons, "because we have a lot of games and also many internationals. We have to rotate in consultation with our medical department; other clubs do the same." Another important side effect: "Competition keeps you sharp. The battle for places is there this season too. If you have no competition, you sit back, you take it easy, you become sluggish, and then you don't get the results you want..."

At the moment, everything fits: rotation, competition for places and impact from the bench in six of BVB's 12 goals (excluding the cup game against a fifth-division side), all involving substitutes. Boris Rupert