With up to ten players sidelined through injury, Thomas Tuchel will again have to make changes when his side face Union Berlin in the DFB Cup on Wednesday (20:45 CET). However, the 43-year-old has no intention of using the club's injury crisis as an excuse for performing poorly or even being knocked out of the competition.

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"Whatever the line-up or formation, we feel we are a match for anyone and capable of winning," declared the coach. Only when evaluating the performance is he willing to make concessions, as the "lack of know-how and experience," make the situation "somewhat complicated". Tuchel added: "We understand performance fluctuations within and between matches."

In addition, the injury crisis means that "players who could do with a break need to play consecutive games," said Tuchel, whose side face a congested fixture list: Lisbon on Tuesday, Ingolstadt on Saturday, tomorrow Union, on Saturday it's Schalke and next Wednesday it's Lisbon again (before the busy period comes to a temporary halt the following Saturday in Hamburg). "We're taking it day by day." But rather than conveying the impression of being weighed down by it all, Tuchel seems to view the challenge of constantly having to improvise as additional motivation. "It's a kind of crash course. It's fun because everyone has earned their place. Team spirit is needed. We clearly believe in our ability to swing the game in our favour and win it. We cannot complain and mustn't let the whole situation get to us."

"Biggest away day in club history"

The Union Berlin side travelling to Dortmund currently occupy second place in the 2. Bundesliga. "This team has grown so much," said Tuchel. "They consistently pick up points, are tactically flexible, look compact and they play and fight well." The capital club have won six of their last seven matches and are bringing around 10,000 fans on "the biggest away day in club history". But ultimately the Black and Yellows want to win. "Our aim is to crash the party," said Tuchel.

Boris Rupert