We know and respect Shakhtar

- Borussia focus on their own pressure, but Shakhtar operated pretty well under pressure in the previous Champions League games, for example, in the meeting with Real Madrid. What surprises are you preparing for Luis Castro and what do you see as weaknesses of his team?

- We consider any match as a chance to showcase our play and win. We have analysed Shakhtar well and are ready to play both defensively and offensively. We are also ready for the fact that our opponents will operate both offensively and defensively. We are very closely following every trick displayed by Shakhtar, and the upcoming match is another opportunity to prove ourselves.

- In the Bundesliga, you vary your defensive tactic: you can play fielding two or three central defenders. What does it depend on and why do Borussia always field two centrebacks in the Champions League as part of your 1-4-2-3-1 formation?

- In the Champions League, we will not use any tactical innovations. Most importantly, our play should be flexible enough. I don’t think that the number of defenders in a certain area of the field plays a key role. The principles which we build our play around are crucial. We must be compact and aggressive, making quick transitions from defence to attack. And, of course, we are aware that we will face really strong opponents, so we will try to keep the ball under control.

- Real Madrid and Inter have dominated possession against your team. Will Shakhtar also rely on ball control? And in general, what do you expect from tomorrow's game?

- Shakhtar are a very strong team who perform well. The Miners have many top footballers who have already proven themselves in the Champions League. If our opponents control the ball, it will certainly cause us some problems. But we will try to play an open game and turn in a great display.

- Your team let two last-minute victories slip away in the Champions League games. What’s the reason behind it and does it cause any additional nervousness before tomorrow's match against Shakhtar?

- We made it all the way here not to worry. We feel confident before tomorrow's meeting and don’t think about the things that happened before, focusing on the upcoming match instead. Borussia can not only tie, but also win - this was demonstrated in our recent game against Leipzig - we won it 1-0.

- Shakhtar are a very experienced European team, already having their 15th Champions League season. Can you remember when you first learnt about this Ukrainian club?

- We’ve been following Shakhtar for a long time and know them as very experienced opponents. Shakhtar is a frequent participant in European competitions and they won the Europa League. The Miners have many highly experienced performers with excellent attributes. We not only follow this club, but also respect them very much as opponents.

- Did you expect Shakhtar to be the group leaders after two games against Real Madrid and Inter?

- The only conclusion we can draw after two rounds and after analysing the standings is that Shakhtar are a very strong team who can prove themselves even in matches against such eminent clubs as Real Madrid and Inter.

- Can we say that the next two meetings with Shakhtar will be decisive in terms of your further qualification?

- Two games are too few to draw any conclusions. There will be more matches, and I'm sure every team in our group think the same way.

- What additional motivation do Borussia have in European competitions compared to the Bundesliga?