Klopp: Dortmund will improve

Coach Jurgen Klopp is satisfied with Borussia Dortmund’s performances this season, but believes they have not yet hit their stride.

The German champions are third in the Bundesliga, 12 points behind table-toppers Bayern Munich, but Klopp feels that his men have worked hard enough to deserve praise.

“It wasn’t world class, but absolutely fine,” the 45-year-old told reporters.

“We laid a solid foundation upon which we can work. We were always a bit better (than the opposition) and I assume that we preserved this buffer.”

Klopp admitted the defence had been suspect, but is confident that they will have learned their lesson by the time they return from the winter hiatus.

“We do learn from our mistakes. We will accomplish this again,” Klopp said.

“Then we will become an even more unpleasant opponent. For instance, we clearly have conceded too many goals on several occasions.

“If you think about how everything worked out for us the last two years, it’s only fair that we finally have to take care of these things again.”

Dortmund resume Bundesliga action with a trip to Werder Bremen on January 19.