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Pre-Match Report

"Create the best possible outlook for Kovac" against Heidenheim

Borussia Dortmund will play away to 1. FC Heidenheim on Matchday 20 of the Bundesliga (kick-off Saturday, 15:30 CET, live on Sky). Interim coach Mike Tullberg will be in charge of the team for the last time before Niko Kovac takes over on Sunday.

BVB secured their first win of the year on Wednesday evening in their Champions League home match against Shakhtar Donetsk (3-1), and now they will be looking for their first victory of the year in the Bundesliga in Heidenheim. "The players came out of the game in top form. There are no reasons why we shouldn't be able to keep marching on," explained Mike Tullberg. Nico Schlotterbeck is suspended due to his red card from the game against Bremen, while Niklas Süle and Felix Nmecha are still out injured. Returning player Salih Özcan, whose loan to VfL Wolfsburg ended this week, trained with his team-mates again for the first time on Wednesday. "Salih has made a great impression. He made his mark in training on Thursday," said Tullberg.

"An unpleasant opponent"
BVB won the reverse fixture against Heidenheim 4-2 in September, with goals from Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi (2) and Emre Can. The game away in Heidenheim almost a year ago to the day ended in a 0-0 draw. In their second Bundesliga season, the European participants have fallen into a battle against the drop and currently occupy the relegation play-off spot. This calendar year, Heidenheim have only won their opening game against Union Berlin (2-0), followed by a draw in Bremen and defeats against St. Pauli and Augsburg. "The double burden is something else," said Tullberg, who also emphasised: "They're an unpleasant opposition. We've analysed them and know what spaces they'll give us in possession and what we have to watch out for without the ball. I'll take the same approach as in the last two games. It's all about us and what we bring to the pitch."

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Mike Tullberg has led the BVB first-team for their games against Werder Bremen and Donetsk recently: "The stats against Donetsk were top. We ran more, we sprinted more and we conceded few chances in both games. I've seen a development." The clash in Heidenheim is Tullberg's last game as interim coach before Niko Kovac takes over on Sunday: "It's about giving it our all tomorrow and creating the best possible outlook for Niko and his coaching team."
Christina Reinke

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