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Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac leads the team's final training session at Borussia Dortmund's training ground ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League soccer match against LOSC Lille at Stade Pierre Mauroy. Bernd Thissen/dpa
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl is happy happy about the international break because it interrupts their training regime ahead of further crucial matches in their desperate bid to qualify for Europe.
Dortmund languish in 11th place in the Bundesliga after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at fifth-placed RB Leipzig during which which they hit the crossbar twice, the post once, and wasted a host of other top opportunities.
Now many players disappear on international duty before Dortmund resume against third-placed Mainz and sixth-ranked Freiburg, games they can not afford to lose either.
"To be honest, I'd prefer us to keep playing because I have the feeling that we're continuing to improve in many areas," Kehl said.
"The second half was really, really good. The team had Leipzig pinned back. It's crazy what we squandered in the second half. We had an unbelievable number of top-class chances."
Dortmund trail sixth place guaranteeing European football by seven points, and the deficit on the top four for a return into the Champions League could be 10 points at the end of the weekend.
A first season without European action since 2009-10 is looming although they could also qualify as Champions League winners, having reached the quarter-finals where they however face mighty Barcelona.
"We have to set our sights low in our situation. There are fewer and fewer games, so it is slowly becoming unrealistic," midfielder Pascal Gross said of reaching the Champions League.
Looking at a potential Europa League berth, he said: "It would be positive because we are 11th at the moment. But I came here with other expectations."
The latest setback came after Dortmund had been more efficient in the 2-1 mid-week Champions League win at Lille.
Coach Niko Kovac has named two wins from six Bundesliga matches since his arrival "sobering" but is trying to remain upbeat.
"Now we have to deliver against Mainz and Freiburg," he said defiantly.
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