The Borussia Dortmund team will undergo the usual compulsory performance tests on 3 January, before officially beginning preparations for the second half of the Bundesliga season at their winter training camp in southern Spain a day later.

Lucien Favre and his coaching staff will be in Marbella − a regular mid-season destination for BVB − from 4 to 12 January 2019 to prepare the players for the Bundesliga restart away to Rasenballsport Leipzig on 19 January. There are two friendly matches on the agenda during the training camp, with the first against Fortuna Düsseldorf on 7 January (kick-off 16:00 CET) and the second against Feyenoord on 11 January (kick-off 17:00 CET).

"Everyone deserves a break," said Marco Reus following the 2-1 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final match before the winter break. "Now we need to recharge our batteries. And then we'll go again in the New Year." (br)