Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac does not believe playing at "99% will be enough to get us what we're aiming for" in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund's last hope for silverware this season is the Bundesliga title, though they are 11 points behind league leaders Bayern Munich with just seven games to go.
The club's title hopes suffered a huge blow last weekend when they fell to a 3-2 defeat to Bayern at home, despite leading the Klassiker and then equalising with seven minutes to go.
That also came off the back of Dortmund's Champions League exit to Atalanta in the play-off round, where they lost 4-1 in the second leg in Italy after a 2-0 win at home.
Dortmund face Koln at RheinEnergieStadion in their next match, and Kovac insisted that his side must give everything they have if they are to win the Bundesliga title this term.
"We want to pick up points," said Kovac.
"We want to win every game. That's our goal.
"We can't afford to let our intensity drop off. The lads know that, and we're training accordingly.
"We're not allowing ourselves to think that 99% will be enough to get us what we’re aiming for."
Time to respond. pic.twitter.com/MDpjFr5tQt
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow" >@BlackYellow) March 6, 2026
And on Koln, Kovac added: "They are capable of great things, especially at home in their fantastic stadium with its great atmosphere.
"That's why we have to give it our all and work hard to defeat our opponents.
"We have to play serious football there and not get caught up in the euphoria. When the mood swings from high to low or vice versa, it's always difficult to play in Cologne."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Koln – Said El Mala
Nineteen-year-old Said El Mala has been Koln's biggest threat this season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in 24 Bundesliga matches.
In his most recent start, the teenager scored and assisted in a 2-2 draw against third-place Hoffenheim (February 21).
Borussia Dortmund – Nico Schlotterbeck
Schlotterbeck scored his fourth goal of this Bundesliga season against Bayern, which is his best return in a single German top-flight campaign.
He has already scored three goals in seven Bundesliga games in 2026 alone. Conversely, Koln are the only team in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season without a goal from a defender.