Borussia Dortmund v Cologne: Klopp´s men happy with relaxed build-up

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Kevin Kampl hopes a relaxed preparation leads his side to victory against Cologne on Saturday.

The German giants have hauled themselves from the bottom of the table after a dismal first half of the season and are now in good form.

A five-match unbeaten streak in the league, consisting of four wins, has lifted Dortmund to 10th and if they win at home this weekend – and other results go their way – they could climb into the top half of the table.

A goalless draw at Hamburg last time out ended an impressive winning streak but there were still plenty of positives for Jurgen Klopp – who remains without Nuri Sahin (knee) and Kevin Grosskreutz (thigh).

The result marked Dortmund’s third clean sheet in four away matches since the mid-season break – something they did not achieve once prior to the interval.

And while their participation in the UEFA Champions League and DFB-Pokal has made for a cluttered schedule in recent times, a rare week without a midweek fixture has left Kampl confident.

“We shouldn’t be too unhappy with a point considering the situation we were in until recently,” Kampl told Dortmund’s official website after the Hamburg clash.

“Now we have a normal training week ahead.

“We don’t have to travel anywhere and can prepare peacefully and thoroughly for the next game.”

Dortmund will have one eye on the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash.

They lost the first leg 2-1 at Juventus but will enjoy the fervent home support of the Signal Iduna Park crowd in Wednesday’s return clash.

Whether that impacts on Klopp’s team selection remains to be seen – particularly given Cologne are just one place and one point adrift of them in the table.

Back in the top flight this season, Peter Stoger’s side have battled well, but will also be wary of the fact they are just five points above the relegation zone.

A 4-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday was their first victory since January and that will give them confidence of doing a rare double against Dortmund.

The last time they achieved the feat was the 1988-89 season but a repeat is possible after they beat Klopp’s men 2-1 in October thanks to goals from Kevin Vogt and Simon Zoller.

Cologne’s Anthony Ujah attracted attention across the world following his now infamous celebration with Hennes the goat in the success against Frankfurt.

And while he will hope to have cause for another celebration, Dortmund’s recent revival means a home win looks likely.