Kovac wants top-level officiating at Klassiker: VAR "too passive"

📰 Niko Kovac has publicly criticised VAR's passivity ahead of the Klassiker and called on the officials for a top-level performance. 📌 Key points 🎙️ Kovac said at Thursday's press conference that VAR has been too passive in recent weeks. 🤝 Dortmund are ready to give referees responsibility, he said. 🟨 He claimed several decisions against his side this season were never corrected. 🔄 Robert Stieler replaces the injured Daniel Siebert as referee. ⚔️ Both teams are on 17 points and meet at the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening. 📝 What happened 🎙️ According to Sport1, Kovac said VAR had been too passive and that this was wrong. He wants clear decisions and said Dortmund would accept referees taking responsibility in return for a top performance from the referee and the VAR in Cologne. ⚽ He said he did not consider the penalty awarded in Tuesday's 3-2 DFB-Pokal win over Werder Bremen to be a penalty. Sport1 notes it had no serious sporting consequence. 🧑‍⚖️ Stieler, 45, referees his fifth Klassiker, with Matthias Jöllenbeck on VAR. Siebert was ruled out by a calf injury. 📊 By the numbers • Both teams unbeaten: five wins, two draws, 17 points • Dortmund 12 goals, Bayern 25 • 141st Bundesliga meeting 🔭 Why it matters With the only two unbeaten sides meeting, one decision could swing the title race. The game is on Saturday evening.