Klopp set to name strongest team possible
Borussia Dortmund head coach Jürgen Klopp said he will not be resting players for their DFB-Pokal clash with Saarbrucken on Tuesday.
With Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League commitments, Klopp could be forgiven for fielding a weakened line-up against the third-tier outfit at the Stadion Ludwigspark.
However, he plans to select the strongest possible starting XI, even though there will be notable absentees with Marco Reus, Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan all sidelined by injury.
"We are taking this competition very seriously but I fear our opponent (Saarbrucken) will be too," Klopp said.
"With every news they get, that another player on our side is missing, their confidence grows and they'll be even happier with this draw.
"They are a third division team that is struggling in the league but has played amazingly well in the cup so far.
"They beat Paderborn and Werder Bremen, so we have been warned.
"We want to play with the best team available and take on the challenge of this competition."
Klopp said only injured players will miss the cup clash, as he looks to get Dortmund into the last eight of the tournament.
"The only challenge for the moment is that we are still unsure who can play but at the end of the day we will have 11 very good footballers on the pitch," he said.
"As for resting players who are fit, that's not going to happen.
"Whoever thinks we can qualify with our best players rested is completely mistaken and is underestimating the situation, the cup and the ambitions of both teams.
"They (Saarbrucken) want to upset the big teams and we want to qualify for the next round, so I don't plan on any major changes unless injuries force me into them."
Klopp noted their DFB-Pokal-winning season in 2011-12 was no breeze and said the ultimate focus is required for his mean to surpass the 3.Liga strugglers.
"It will be an intense game and we have to accept the fight," the Dortmund boss said.
"Whoever wants to just play a game thinking they are already superior will get hurt. In our most successful cup season (the league and cup double in 2011-12), we managed to take every opponent seriously and not focus on which division they played in.
"We respect the opponent, and they stand between us and progressing to the next round.
"In 2012 we didn't fly through round after round but we had to work really hard in every game."
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