“It’s an unusual thing to play the same opponent twice in the space of three days. We expect another tight game and not many differences. We know the opponent and they know us. Dortmund have a clear style of play. It’ll be tough for either side to pull a surprise,” Hjulmand said at Monday’s press conference. Looking back on Saturday’s 2-1 Bundesliga defeat at the BayArena, the Dane added, “We were on a par in many areas. We now need to improve on the little things that weren’t right.”
Speaking about the DFB Pokal, Hjulmand stated, “It’s a super competition. I always really like these evenings. We’ve got the chance to win a title, which is always really important for the club. We’ve got big ambitions.”
Hjulmand: “Wins accelerate development”
This double-header with Dortmund is far from the Werkself’s only big set of fixtures in the run-up to Christmas, with further games to come in the Champions League against the likes of Newcastle United or a Bundesliga clash with second-placed RB Leipzig.
“Our goal is to win against the best teams. Wins accelerate our development, so this is a great period and these games are very important for us,” Hjulmand explained. “Yes, we lost the first against Dortmund, but there are some truths behind the result, which are that we played well. We’re ready for the next game.”
Updates on Palacios, Fernández
Lucas Vázquez, Arthur, Ezequiel Fernández and Exequiel Palacios are all still sidelined for Tuesday’s cup game. In terms of Axel Tape, Hjulmand gave a “maybe” as to whether he’ll be able to feature in the squad.
Asked about the Argentinian midfield duo, the coach explained, “If everything goes well, Pala will be ready in late January and Equi by the final game of December. But everything needs to go perfectly.”
In terms of Christian Kofane, Patrik Schick and further alternatives in attack, the 53-year-old said, “Both strikers benefit from each other. They work hard. They’re different types of players, which gives us options. Nathan [Tella], Martin [Terrier] and Alejo [Sarco] can also play up front.”
