"Marco Reus absence not bad for me" - Bayer Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz ahead of Borussia Dortmund reunion
Bayer Leverkusen coach Peter Bosz says he is relieved not to be coming up against Marco Reus when he returns to his former Borussia Dortmund stomping ground on Sunday.
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Bosz, 55, spent six ill-fated months as Dortmund boss between July and December 2017, and had been out of work until answering Bayer's call in December.
The Dutchman has made a flying start to life at Leverkusen, however, and heads to the Signal Iduna Park on the back of a four-match winning run in the Bundesliga.
Bundesliga leaders BVB, on the other hand, are winless in four and will be without talismanic captain Reus for the third successive league game on Sunday afternoon.
"Dortmund have played very well this season, but it's been tougher for them in recent weeks," Bosz said at his customary pre-match press conference.
"I know how important Marco Reus is for them. When I was there, he was injured. It's a blow for them that he's not available, but, to be honest, that's not so bad for me (laughs). But I'd be happy if he plays after the Sunday game because I enjoy watching him."
Bosz's tenure as Dortmund coach may have panned out a little differently had Reus been fit. The former Ajax boss oversaw six wins from his first seven games as the Black-Yellows opened up a five-point lead on defending champions Bayern Munich, but it all went south from there.
Following a run of eight Bundesliga games without a win and an alarming 23 goals conceded in 15 outings, Dortmund had slipped to seventh - and Bosz was dismissed. Not that the Leverkusen tactician holds any ill feelings towards his former employers.
"It was a short stay, but I had a good time there," he recalled. "I'm looking forward to the reunion on Sunday and I'm looking forward to being back in the stadium, seeing the fans again, the Yellow Wall.
"We've played some decent stuff lately and we're well prepared - Reus or no Reus."
Watch: Peter Bosz on his return to the Bundesliga with Leverkusen
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Depending on results elsewhere, Bosz's Leverkusen could climb to within two points of the top four with a win in Dortmund.
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