Peter Bosz has been getting his team ready for the new season for a good three weeks now. The manager drew the following initial conclusion on the penultimate day of the training camp in Bad Ragaz: "We are making progress!"

Tactics, technique, and tempo – these have been the core elements of the training sessions in the Swiss mountains. "The conditions are excellent. Great training ground, nice hotel, fine food – all of that is important. As such, we are able to work hard on our playing style. Our fitness is improving every day. We are making progress", attested the Dutchman, who is demanding of his players, but not overly so. "I am trying to improve the players' condition without them picking up any injuries."

They are keen to learn and listen attentively when Bosz interrupts the exercises to make clear what he expects of them. With regard to the implementation of a new playing system, Bosz says, "according to my experience across the years, it is simply not possible after just two weeks. However, I can see that they are getting better and better. The players who have been here from the beginning on are already further advanced, whereas things still need further discussion with the boys who have only been here a few days."

Peter Bosz begins to rave when he speaks of Mario Götze. "As a football aficionado it is really great fun to see him at work. Mario is a very good player, but we need to be careful with him: if you have been absent for five months, it is not possible to make up for that within five weeks." Mario will be one player participating as part of the squad set to take on Atalanta Bergamo on Friday (19:30 CEST, livestream on BVB total!), presumably for another 45 minutes.

The manager would not confirm when Marcel Schmelzer will play again. Circumspectly said he: "A ligament tear needs time. He has begun to train again. That gives us hope."

After returning from Switzerland, the Signal Iduna Park is due to witness the Supercup against FC Bayern on Saturday evening already. Bosz wants a win: "If there is the opportunity to pick up silverware, you have got to go for it."
Boris Rupert