Berlin, Stuttgart, Hannover: Borussia Dortmund will play their third game in eight games on Saturday (kick-off 15:30hrs). But in contrast to Berlin or in Stuttgart the players will be playing on a perfect pitch, so that their 'only' challenge will be the opponent and they won't have to also fight the green... 

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Thomas Tuchel said the Cup game in Stuttgart ‘took a lot out of his team’: “but that was on Tuesday. They have recharged their batteries again.” And he continued: “Tuesday, Saturday, Thursday is not a problem, even if the pitch surfaces drained a lot of energy.”

The only doubt on Friday afternoon was whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would play. Tuchel said after the exertions of the Cup match: “he was the only one who suffered a knock. He took a knock and is being treated. We will have to wait and see how much pain he is in.”

The waiting game will also apply to what formation – tactical and team line-up – Hannover 96 will turn up with in the Signal Iduna Park tomorrow. This means the preparations for the match will be more complicated for Thomas Tuchel and his coaching staff, “because it is not quite clear what state Hannover is in. They have a lot of injuries, a lot of new players, a lot of players who have suffered knocks. It is difficult to forecast what players they will line-up with and in what formation they will start.”

„To be able to play with each other in any possible formation“

Instead of ‘trying to sort out any eventualities’, Borussia wants to “concentrate on ourselves for the preparation for this game”. It shows itself more and more that the Head Coach doesn’t just change his line-up, but can also vary his tactics, because the way the games flow are improving all the time. It did not just surprise VfB Head Coach Jürgen Krammy to play with Erik Durm in attack in Stuttgart. “For the match in Stuttgart this was the decision we made, on the one hand to react to Stuttgart’s strengths and on the other hand to make the most of our own strengths.”

It is Tuchel’s aim to have “a close squad and to be able to play in any line-up.” To be in a situation “where it is irrelevant which player has to be on the pitch with whatever other player. The team has managed to do this now.”

And also there are other thoughts that are the priority now after the away game on Tuesday where they had to cope with the constant rough approach in Stuttgart. “When you play at home you tend to play to dominate the game”, the Head Coach explained: “in this game we are expecting totally different spaces to play into and we will do what it takes to put out a line-up that will suit that need.” Boris Rupert

BVB total!-Video: The complete press conference with Thomas Tuchel, free for all