Tuchel taking nothing for granted against Tottenham

Thomas Tuchel believes the Europa League offers a genuine chance for Borussia Dortmund to win silverware this season but will not be taking Tottenham lightly on Thursday.

The Bundesliga side recorded a 3-0 win at home in the first leg of their last-16 tie and Tuchel has demanded a similar performance at White Hart Lane in the return clash this week in order to seal their ticket for the quarter-finals.

“The good thing about the first leg was not just the result, but also the way we played. But that does not change anything for Thursday. We need another great performance,” Tuchel said at a news conference.

“Tottenham have a clear philosophy under Mauricio Pochettino – they enjoy a lot of possession, but can also press high up the pitch. He [Pochettino] is a great coach. Tottenham are a very dangerous team that are very strong going forward.

“We don’t prioritise one competition over the other. We always feel a certain obligation to give our best. The Europa League could be a chance we will not get again soon. We are showing the spirit needed in this competition.

“We have to focus on our own performance. We are hungry for success and want to win again with the best team possible. I will play our strongest XI.”

Mats Hummels, meanwhile, is equally hungry for European success and is looking for a fast start to put the tie beyond doubt.

“The Europa League is a big chance to win silverware for us,” he added.

“We are in a great position after the first leg and are favourites. We want to confirm what we can do on the pitch and score an early goal to completely kill the tie off.

“We are still remarkably fresh.”