Still without Schmelzer against Hertha

"We don't want to take any risks", said Schmelzer, and Peter Bosz clarified: "He participated fully in training, but it still needs a bit more time. To that end, we want to make use of the international break. The others are also making progress, but they haven't come so far that they can return to the team."

Therefore, he must once again improvise against Hertha, though the most recent results are encouraging. In the cup, they won 4-0 – even if against a significantly weaker opponent – and chalked up a 3-0 win in the first league game of the season away at Wolfsburg. Both of these results can strengthen the players' belief in themselves and what they are capable of, and furthermore, within a new system. "It certainly helps", confirmed Bosz: "When you do something new, you have got to get results too." 

The Dutchman laughs off the fact that Borussia Dortmund start their home campaign by facing a Hertha BSC side that made for difficult opposition in these teams' last encounter: "Sometimes it is good that there is a new manager who isn't familiar with the history between the teams. I believe that we're getting better all the time. And if we play our pressing game hard, high, and with plenty of energy, then things don't look so good for our opponent."

Bosz expects "an interesting game", is looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere at a home game in the Signal Iduna Park, and expects the following from his team: "We must take into this game what we showed against Wolfsburg." In that game, Mario Götze set the pace for 60 minutes. He is unlikely to play much longer than that in tomorrow's fixture, certainly not the full 90 minutes, "even if he could last out. We must continue to be careful with him".
Boris Rupert

BVB total! Video: The complete press conference with Peter Bosz