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First team
Klopp: “We need to be prepared for any eventuality”

Borussia Dortmund coach, Jürgen Klopp and player Marcel Schmelzer, held a press conference this evening at the Signal Iduna Park Stadium, ahead of tomorrow night’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg.

The German team’s coach stresses the fact that his team needs to put on a great performance tomorrow in order to reach the semi-finals, with the players needing to be at their 100 per cent best: “We’re completely ready to continue our adventure in this competition and our batteries are fully charged.  We’re fortunate to play the second leg here at our home ground, and we’re amongst the eight best teams in Europe.  There’s always two ways to tackle a game like this, either under a lot of pressure or continuing in the same way we’ve been doing up until now,” explains Klopp.
 
Past statistics have shown that qualifying matches have gone in Borussia’s favour, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg.  However Klopp remains cautious: “For the first time we’re not relying on stats or figures.  During training earlier, I told the team to ignore any negative press surrounding the goalless draw in the first leg; and it certainly wasn’t an easy ride at Málaga last week.  We’re all very positive and have every chance of getting through to the semis, but nothing is guaranteed.” 
 
Klopp also refers to the amazing fans at the Signal Iduna Park Stadium: “We need our fans’ support now more than ever.  You never know what will happen in football, and any match in a competition like this could be the last.  It’s crucial to give absolutely everything on the pitch in games like these.”  However the Borussia coach believes patience is the key to breaking Málaga CF: “Being patient could well be the answer, but when it comes to qualifying for the semi-finals, there will also be difficult moments.  Up until now we’ve not had too many problems or really tough times, but we need to be prepared for any eventuality and really deserve to win.”
 
Schmelzer, who still isn’t sure whether he’s playing tomorrow wearing his protective mask following his nose fracture, emphasises the importance of reaching the semi-finals: “We’ll give it our all in order to qualify for the semis as it’ll be a fantastic achievement for the club.”