Borussia Dortmund are next in Bundesliga action against 1. FC Nuremberg at the unusual kick-off time of 20:30 CET on a Monday evening (18 February). The BVB management staff are very happy to have been handed a four-day break following the Champions League match away to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

"It's beneficial to us, because we have more time and it gives one or two players who have been missing through injury the chance to recover," explained sporting director Michael Zorc. Several of the previously sidelined senior players – such as Julian Weigl, Manuel Akanji and Paco Alcácer – have since returned to training, but Monday's match comes too soon for Lukasz Piszczek.

The match at Nuremberg's Max-Morlock-Stadion will be a meeting of the league's top and bottom teams. FCN are winless in 15 matches and lost a six-pointer to Hannover 96 last time out, prompting the dismissal of sporting director Andreas Bornemann and head coach Michael Köllner. Boris Schommers, formerly the assistant coach, and the Marek Mintal, an ex-player, have been placed in charge on an interim basis for the visit of BVB. The managerial shake-up has complicated Borussia's preparations. "We need to prepare for every scenario. We don't know the system, we can't change that," said a pragmatic Lucien Favre. The coach has watched Der Club in action several times and singled out their display in the 1-1 draw with Bremen a fortnight ago for special praise. "They played in a 4-4-2 system against Bremen. They were very well organised, defended very well and had a few good chances too. They're a very athletic team."

In their previous meeting earlier this season, BVB thrashed the Franconians 7-0. But Zorc believes there is no chance of the players becoming complacent against the division's basement boys. "Our senses are sharpened. We'll give it our all to get back to winning ways," said the sporting director in reference to the Black & Yellows' recent four-game winless streak in all competitions. "It was clear there would be a period where we wouldn't be able to win every game at a canter. We have the feeling that almost every mistake is currently being punished. The luck isn't on our side right now."

Favre is expecting his team to continue playing as they have been but to show "a bit more patience and ensure they don't concede any more silly goals". Bremen, Hoffenheim and Tottenham have all punished individual errors by BVB players in the closing stages of games. Opponents had similarly dangerous chances in front of the Dortmund goal in the first half of the campaign "but we weren't conceding then. We need to defend better and we're working on that."
Christina Reinke

BVB TV: The press conference with Lucien Favre and Michael Zorc