Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Chelsea v Borussia Dortmund - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - March 7, 2023 Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus and teammates remonstrate with referee Danny Makkelie after Chelsea had to retake their penalty Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
BERLIN (Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic gave his players a night to digest their Champions League Round of 16 exit to Chelsea on Tuesday before picking themselves up for their Ruhr valley derby against bitter rivals Schalke 04 on Saturday.
Dortmund, who were on a 10-game winning run in all competitions in 2023 prior to Tuesday, lost 2-0 at Chelsea and were eliminated. They won 1-0 win in Germany in the first leg.
With the club joint top in the Bundesliga on 49 points with Bayern Munich, but in second place on goal difference, Terzic said there was no time to bewail the defeat to Chelsea for too long.
"We know we were in a good form (coming to Chelsea). But confidence and good form won't be enough," Terzic told reporters.
"Our season started in July and we said we want a good run in all three competitions. We dropped out of the Champions League against Chelsea. It is not something you have to feel ashamed for."
Apart from their fine Bundesliga run where they hunt their first league crown in 11 years, Dortmund are also through to the German Cup last eight where they face RB Leipzig in April.
"But don't get me wrong. Tonight we are really disappointed," Terzic said. "But tomorrow morning we are going to stand up, recover and go for the next one. It is a big derby for us on Saturday."
Few Dortmund fans would remember the Chelsea exit if there was silverware at the end of the season for their club, even fewer would if that included victory at local rivals Schalke on Saturday.
The Royal Blues are back after a season in the second division and after a disappointing start they have turned their season around in recent weeks.
Schalke are unbeaten in their last six league matches, having won the last two, and have climbed off last place to 19 points and into 17th place, level on points with Hoffenheim and VfB Stuttgart in 16th and 15th respectively.
They have also conceded just one goal in the six matches.
"At the end of May we will see what we deserve," Terzic said. "This is what we want to do. We don't want anything for granted but we will see at the end of May."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Robert Birsel)
