Dortmund boss Edin Terzic cut a stoic figure in the pre-match press conference before the weekend match against Augsburg.
Terzic said the team were “dissatisfied” with one point from three games and that the players show understanding in the mistakes that have led to shipping seven goals with only three in reply.
Borussia Dortmund’s season has turned into a nightmare with almost as many defeats as wins (7 to 9).
After initially targeting a title challenge sporting director Michael Zorc admitted the target is now to qualify for Europe.
In an almost poetic turn of phrase Terzic gave an ode of apology to supporters saying he and his staff are learning every day in order to improve.
However that learning isn’t happening quick enough with Dortmund seventh in the table, three points off the Champions League spot and thirteen points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
Replacing Lucien Favre with Terzic, Favre was sacked after matchday eleven when Dortmund lost 5-1 at home to Stuttgart, the change hasn’t seemed to improve fortunes with the Swiss picking up more points per game than his former assistant.
Terzic wants Dortmund to use the ball better against Augsburg after they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to the Fuggerstädter in matchday two back in September.
Terzic said: “We’re dissatisfied with one point from three games, of course. We saw positive things nonetheless, but first and foremost we actively asked ourselves what went wrong and worked on those issues intensively.
“The boys take responsibility and show understanding for the mistakes made in the last few games. The reaction they’ve shown on the training ground is very good.
“Man is a product of learning. Myself and my coaching team try in every game, every training session, and ultimately every day to learn and experience why things happen in order to work on them and improve in the end.”
Having survived relegation last season Augsburg are experiencing a far chirpier campaign this time around sitting twelfth in the table having come off the back of a win over high flying Union Berlin ending a glut of three defeats.
Dortmund will be without long-term injury absentees Axel Witsel and Marcel Schmelzer. Thomas Meunier also misses out on Saturday due to knee problems with the hope the Belgian will be back next week. It’s also hoped Dan-Axel Zagadou and Thorgan Hazard will be able to return to training next week.
Bundesliga matchday 19, Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg, Saturday, KO 1430 GMT.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 