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Borussia Dortmund head coach Jurgen Klopp has claimed that his team will not face a mass exit of his players if his team does not qualify for the Champions League next year. The former Bundesliga champions are currently in the relegation zone with 10 defeats and a total of just 15 points from 17 games this season.
Dortmund are currently 12 points short of fourth place and key players like Mats Hummels, who was rumoured to be on his way out in January, have stayed put despite the team’s poor run of form. It is reported that Klopp still is hopeful his team will get out of the relegation zone.
We will avoid relegation and stay afloat: Klopp
Klopp told Sport Bild : "I understand that many people have the horror scenario [of a relegation] in their head, but whoever thinks that we can't make up those few points is unreasonably pessimistic.
"We've got 17 games to avoid relegation and we will do that." The 47-year-old manager has earlier experienced relegation during his tenure at Mainz in 2007.
The Black and Yellows are scheduled to play Juventus in the Champions League last 16 stage in February and a loss would mean a year out of the elite league.
Klopp added: "I am currently not interested in qualification for next year's Champions League. Right now, I don't have any problem with staying in the league and having a year with a load of training next season."
Dortmund players are loyal to the club
Dortmund captain Mats Hummels had taken a stand for the club last week and had stated that not playing Champions League football would not stop him from being happy. Hence, Klopp believes that, just like the World Cup winner, his other teammates will resist deals from Champions League teams.
He said: "If there should be a player who wants to leave because of a year without Champions League football, then my rating of him would have been completely wrong,"
Dortmund’s defender Kevin Grosskreutz supported the German football manager of the year for 2011 and 2012 and revealed to Sport Bild, that he would support the team even if relegated and would play with the club in the second league.
Grosskreutz said: "Borussia Dortmund stays a top address even without Champions League.
"It's a wicked club with wicked fans and a wicked stadium and a whole lot of tradition, too. Players are aware of that.
"I would never leave Borussia just because we don't play in Europe. I love this club, and it will always stay like this,” he concluded.
