Jurgen Klopp
Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp claims consistent injuries have made this season the hardest of his coaching career to date.
Dortmund have been below par as the likes of Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic, Lukasz Piszczek, Marcel Schmelzer and Ilkay Gundogan have all missed significant chunks of the campaign, particularly with Subotic sidelined for the rest of the season.
And with such injury crisis, last season's Champions League runners-up have slumped down the Bunudesliga table - leaving Pep Guardiola's led Bayern Munich team highly placed.
Hence, Klopp had to confess to the difficulty of this season and he insisted that the series of injuries are not linked with Dortmund 's ferocious style of play.
"As far as injuries, it is the hardest (season) of my coaching career," he told Rheinische Post.
"It is far-fetched when people say that injuries are to do with our style of play - you only have to look at who is hurt and why - you soon notice that they have nothing to do with each other.
"The good thing is that Erik Durm, Marian Sarr, Jonas Hofmann and others get the chance to play in a top league.
"A complete axle is broken with us; that changes the whole game. Two centre-backs, two full-backs, two defensive midfielders It changes the whole structure."
Klopp, however, reveals that he enjoys working with his current group of players, particularly with the progress they have made. "It's a pleasure to work with these guys. You cope with the pressure of having to win. We are recognised as a top team and will be remembered as one."
Reflecting on the past year, indeed, they have made an unbelievable team with such strike force as Robert Lewandowski, who surprisingly sprung up.