Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Borussia Dortmund's midweek triumph cost them in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim.
Dortmund edged out Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout on Tuesday night after 120 minutes in the DFB-Pokal semi-final, and Klopp claims that the tiredness in his squad was clear at the Rhein-Neckar Arena.
"For us the game was incredibly intense, of course, due to the 120 minutes we had to play on Tuesday," he told Ruhr Nachtrichten. "We did okay, to be honest.
"Hoffenheim played a lot of long balls, which tested us. We had to run a lot which added to the fatigue factor. We conceded the goal because we were not 100 per cent awake, though it's good play from [Kevin] Volland. Then we scored the equaliser.
"The game really could have tipped either way; it's one of those games that never ends up a draw, but today it has done. I can accept that, it's not a big problem."
Dortmund are currently ninth in the Bundesliga table, one point behind Hoffenheim.
Callum Mulvihill
