Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac has hinted at possible changes to his squad for their highly anticipated showdown with Bayern Munich in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday. This match marks the first Der Klassiker of the season and the first German Supercup since 2021.

Kovac is eager to win his first trophy with Dortmund since taking charge in February last year, and he now has a replenished squad with new and promising recruits. Ahead of the mouthwatering clash against his former club, Kovac addressed the media, providing a timely update on his players.

“Waldi can play on Saturday. Carney trained with the team for the first time today. The squad is pretty full. We’ll have to drop a few players. Giannis arrives this evening. Joey and he are in top form. Both are physically ready to play. I don’t see any problem with including them in the squad,” Kovac stated.

Waldemar Anton had traveled to Japan for the BVB Evonik Tour last month but played only in their 1-0 win over FC Tokyo. He missed the rest of the campaign due to workload management, but Kovac's comments suggest that the Germany international is set for a return and might be reinstated in the heart of their defense.

As for Carney Chukwuemeka, he joined the squad for the Japan tour but played only 23 minutes against FC Tokyo. Since then, he has only appeared as a substitute against Arsenal, making it unlikely for him to feature in Saturday's crucial fixture with a packed midfield.

Kovac also discussed two new signings: Joey Veerman and Giannis Konstantelias. Both players joined after the preseason campaign and have been training with the squad. However, neither is expected to start due to a lack of match practice, although Kovac may utilize them as impact substitutes depending on the game's circumstances.

Veerman is known for his creative play and ability to set the tempo for his team, while Konstantelias possesses exceptional dribbling skills and a keen eye for goal, making him a significant attacking threat.