The Borussia Dortmund first-team squad have now completed two intense training sessions on this year's USA Tour. Coach Lucien Favre pushed his charges hard on Thursday morning with a training session that lasted more than 100 minutes at Soldier Field in Chicago, the home of the American football team Chicago Bears.

Passing exercises were the focal point of the session. Two members of the coaching staff, Manfred Stefes and Eden Tercic, constructed a course involving obstacles (to simulate opposition) that the players had to complete with certain passing sequences before placing the ball in one of the two small goals. The closed session − which allowed the first-team squad and the seven travelling members of the U23s to work quietly and without disturbances − was then rounded off by an XI against XI game on a shortened pitch.

Sandwiched between the morning and late afternoon training sessions were several PR appointments. One of them involved the presentation of the 2018/19 "Cup Shirt", which Borussia Dortmund will wear in their national and international cup competitions this term. The shirt will make its debut appearance at the ICC, which will see BVB take on Manchester City, Liverpool and Benfica. Over 500 fans attended to event to stock up on autographs.

Elsewhere, Nuri Sahin, Sebastian Rode and Dan-Axel Zagadou paid a visit to the German team that is currently competing in the "Special Olympics Unified Cup Chicago", which involves 24 male and female teams from 21 countries each consisting of players with and without disabilities. Germany is applying to host the 2023 "Special Olympics" in Berlin. Meanwhile, Mario Götze and André Schürrle took part in a boat trip organised by Evonik Industries, BVB's main sponsor. (br/jpk)