Tuchel expects ´emotionally charged´ Frankfurt test

Thomas Tuchel expects “an emotionally charged atmosphere” when Borussia Dortmund take on relegation-threatened Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

Dortmund must win and hope Bayern Munich slip up if they are to take the Bundesliga title race to the final day, while Frankfurt are scrapping for survival.

Niko Kovac’s men have won their last two games to move out of the automatic relegation zone, but still have work to do to preserve their top-flight status.

And Tuchel, who refused to comment further on the situation regarding wantaway defender Mats Hummels, is taking nothing for granted ahead of the trip.

“We expect an emotionally charged atmosphere in Frankfurt,” the head coach said. “They just won two derbies against Mainz and Darmstadt.

“It doesn’t matter whether Frankfurt have something left to play for. Keeping the tension up is always relative. Everyone who saw us [beat Wolfsburg 5-1 last Saturday] will know that we’re extremely focused.”

While the league title looks set to elude them, Dortmund do have a DFB-Pokal final to come against Bayern on May 21, but Tuchel insists his players will not be taking the final two Bundesliga games lightly.

“We’re not trying to avoid contact on the field,” he added. “We are still vexed to have no midweek fixtures anymore.”