Kovac discusses preseason challenges after Cerezo match

Niko Kovac addressed his team's performance following a preseason matchup against Cerezo, noting the squad primarily featured U19 and U23 players. He acknowledged the lack of chemistry and the challenges of integrating returning national team players. Goalkeeper Alex Meyer emphasized the difficulty of competing against a strong opponent, suggesting a draw would have been fair based on their second-half performance. Kovac confirmed that substituting Filippo Mane was a precaution due to concerns over an injury.

• 10:30 PMYahoo Sports — Kovac on Cerezo: “That’s just how it is during preseason”