Klopp: Dortmund a work in progress

Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp says his team’s stuttering start to the Bundesliga season show his side is still developing.

Dortmund, German champions for the last two seasons, are in sixth place in the Bundesliga, and blew a 2-0 lead in their last match before settling for a 3-3 draw with newly promoted Eintracht Frankfurt.

Klopp, speaking before their home clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, said his team was still improving.

“There are different periods in the development of a football team. If you are not ready to accept some setbacks in your development, you don’t have any chance of developing,” Klopp said.

“For the moment it is like that: We create many, many chances, we really do and also against very defensive teams. But every time we we lose possession or miss shots on goal from us, it may result in a goal against us.”

Klopp praised new striker Marco Reus, who was an acquisition from Moenchengladbach in the recent transfer window, but said he was still settling into life at Dortmund.

“We are very happy with our new player Marco,” he said. “We got this excellent player we were looking for.

“It is simply normal that a new player who comes to us needs time to handle all the things we want from him on the pitch. I think we do have this issue every year with new players.

Reus said it will be emotional to come up against his friends for the first time since his move, but claimed Dortmund is the club he loves after spending his youth developing his skills there.

“I had three wonderful years there, I felt well in Monchengladbach, and I have some really good friends with whom I still stay in contact today,” Reus said.

“So I look forward to this match against my former team-mates but we will try to keep the three points here in Dortmund.

“Like you all know, I played here in Dortmund for 10 years during my youth. That’s why I’ve locked this club in my heart.”