The Borussia Dortmund U23s travelled to their training camp in Belek on Tuesday morning. The travelling contingent, who will be in Turkey preparing for the second half of the 3. Liga season until 10 January, consists of 25 players plus 10 coaches and staff. There are also five U19 players present: Leonardo Posadas, Rafael Lubach, Julian Rijkhoff, Danylo Krevsun and Charles Herrmann.

Upon arrival, coach Jan Zimmermann's players immediately hit the training pitch in the afternoon, with athletics coach Benjamin Schüßler putting the Black & Yellows through their paces for the first time. The team is training at a football field belonging to the hotel that is only a short walk away – making for optimal conditions in the eyes of Jan Zimmermann. "I really like being in Belek. The weather is good, we can be on the pitch a lot. With a good atmosphere, a training camp like this brings the team close together once again." 

When they return to Dortmund in the late afternoon of 10 January, the team is expected to be top-fit and to have bonded a little more. "Wherever I've been, I'm always felt an effect from a training camp. It's good for the team when they're together for a week. When you laugh together, it brings you together. The players should also see something other than just the training pitch. But we're primarily here to work of course," said the coach in summary of his expectations for the coming days.

In order to achieve that, there are two sessions on the agenda almost every day. Ingo Preuß, the sporting director of the U23s, has also planned a real acid test: BVB will take on Hansa Rostock at the small stadium at the "Bellis Deluxe Hotel" at 15:00 CET on Saturday 6 January.