Klopp calls for Dortmund focus

Jurgen Klopp wants his Borussia Dortmund side focused on their clash with Hoffenheim after securing UEFA Champions League progression.

The Dortmund coach saw his charges clinch top spot in Group F on Wednesday after a dramatic 2-1 win over Marseille, with Kevin Grosskreutz scoring the winner three minutes from time.

However, Klopp wants Dortmund fully focused on Saturday’s visit to Hoffenheim, with his side losing three of their last four top-flight matches.

Defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend leaves Dortmund 10 points off leaders Bayern Munich and Klopp believes his side must shake off the effects of Wednesday’s victory if they are to return to winning ways in the Bundesliga.

“After (the Napoli game in) Naples, we had a very difficult game against Mainz and we prevailed. Now we have a very difficult game in Hoffenheim. That’s normality,” he said.

“After that we have an entire week. But for now, we don’t. So the future is Hoffenheim, and that is the way it is.

“Our future is Hoffenheim. We shouldn’t look any further then that. There we have two problems. On the one hand, the utter joy that one feels when one reaches a big goal – it drains the energy. And on the other the game (against Marseille) itself that will make for heavy legs.”

While Nuri Sahin shook off an ankle problem to feature in Marseille, Dortmund remain without the likes of Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic and Sven Bender due to injuries.

Klopp claims only champions Bayern would be able to cope with such a lengthy injury list, but feels his side have little choice but to deal with the problem.

“It is a special situation for us. With that many injured players, other teams wouldn’t rake in the points either,” he added.

“There is only one team in Germany that can easily compensate such losses, and that’s Bayern. We are not Bayern. That’s not a problem, we just have to deal with the situation.

“What it means and how other teams are getting close to us in the league, that’s not very relevant.”