Borussia Dortmund flew to Manchester on Tuesday afternoon. BVB boss Lars Ricken talks about the squad and the game.

BVB flew to Manchester on Tuesday afternoon – Julian Brandt and Niklas Süle were not with them, but Nico Schlotterbeck was. Managing director Lars Ricken answered reporters’ questions at the airport: “We’re coming off a perfect week with three wins, we’ve now won four times in a row.”

These victories would give the team security and confidence in the dressing room, which the team also needs against Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday evening (9 p.m.), “one of the biggest challenges in European soccer.” BVB’s goal is to remain among the top teams in the premier class: “We are ready to take something away with us.”

When asked whether Schlotterbeck, who had recently been ill, was fit to play for 90 minutes, Ricken replied: “If he’s there, you can assume so.” Schlotterbeck was at the game and busily signed jerseys for the fans.

BVB had only managed a narrow victory against Augsburg recently. Ricken highlighted the team’s strengths and weaknesses: “Everyone is aware that we need to improve. Defensively, we’re top notch – we’ve now kept six clean sheets in the Bundesliga, which is the best record in Europe. But it’s clear to everyone: when we have the ball, we can’t just rely on our efficiency, we have to be more creative in creating scoring opportunities.”

With twelve goals scored in the Champions League, Dortmund is one of the most dangerous teams in front of goal – according to Ricken, the game promises to be spectacular. Especially since the opponent has Erling Haaland, a former Dortmund player and currently one of the best strikers in the world. “He’s really extraordinary, bordering on perfection. He’s the driving force behind this team, so it will help if we take him out of the game,” Ricken said of the Norwegian.

But that shouldn’t unsettle the team: “I think we’re solid defensively and have center backs who will make life difficult for him. And don’t forget that we also have Guirassy, who was the top scorer in the Champions League last year. We don’t need to hide.”