Tuchel hopes to continue as Borussia Dortmund boss

Thomas Tuchel has reiterated his commitment to Borussia Dortmund after leading his side to their first DFB-Pokal title in five years.

Despite a strong end to their Bundesliga campaign seeing Dortmund finish in the qualification spots for the Champions League, doubts remain over Tuchel’s future at Signal Iduna Park following a reported disagreement with the club’s board.

However, after seeing his side overcome a stubborn Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, Tuchel claimed to have no desire to leave.

“Yes!” Tuchel responded when asked if he wished to remain as Dortmund coach by Sky Sports. “I don’t know, [if this was his last Dortmund game].”

Dortmund’s win marks Tuchel’s maiden trophy in his coaching career at senior level.

It did not come easy, however, with Ousmane Dembele’s terrific early goal swiftly cancelled out by Ante Rebic’s strike, before Haris Seferovic struck the woodwork.

Dortmund managed to stay on level terms, though, and clicked into gear after the restart – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seeing an acrobatic attempt blocked on the line.

Aubameyang had his goal minutes later, though, chipping home an audacious finish from the penalty spot after substitute Christian Pulisic had been brought down by Frankfurt goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

There was to be more drama as Aubameyang hit the crossbar before Sokratis Papastathopoulos almost turned the ball into his own net.

Tuchel added following the grandstand finish: “I am completely empty. After the semi-final I was full [of energy] but now I am completely empty. It was a hard work.

“After we scored, we stopped playing football and then we were lucky not to fall behind. But nobody talks about it anymore, because we have won. Now everything is perfect.”

Tuchel also said that Aubameyang’s chipped penalty was actually a pre-conceived plan that the Bundesliga’s top-scorer had been working on prior to the final.

“I can only say that it was a sure thing,” Tuchel added. “We analysed Hradecky’s penalty saves in advance.

“He dives to the corners. In the end it is a safe penalty because we have discussed it.”