WARSAW, Poland -- Thomas Tuchel is looking forward to his first Champions League match as a coach.
"It's a bit like a birthday as a child or maybe Christmas," the Borussia Dortmund manager told his news conference ahead of the club's opener at Legia Warsaw.
Dortmund go into the match at Warsaw as the major favourites. Legia Warsaw are Poland's first Champions League representatives in 20 years, and have so far struggled in their domestic league, where they only rank 13th after seven match days.
Dortmund, on the other hand, have so far only played two matches in the Bundesliga and on Saturday were beaten 1-0 by newly promoted Bundesliga club Leipzig.
"We lacked precision, made too unforced errors, were not hungry enough for goals," Tuchel said in Warsaw on Tuesday night looking back on the Leipzig defeat.
"We've had many promising scenes, but we were not clear enough. There is a lot of room for improvement. But on Saturday, our performance was blurred in the second half because we lost trust through all the mistakes."
On Wednesday, Dortmund return to Champions League following one year in Europe's second tier, the Europa League.
After a difficult group stage, Tuchel's squad beat FC Porto and Tottenham in the knockout stages, but then were eliminated in a historic match at Anfield Road in the quarterfinals, with the hosts grabbing the 4-3 winner in added time.
It will also be the first time Tuchel hears the Champions League anthem, and citing the Europa League campaign last term, he told his news conference that on one hand it is not special for him, but on the other hand, the competition has a special meeting for him.
Thomas Tuchel: "Wir im Trainerteam haben uns vorgenommen, die Gruppenphase auch ein bisschen zu genießen." #legbvb pic.twitter.com/kfLXuAKxK0
- Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) September 13, 2016
"It is THE competition," he said. "I've watched it as a child back in the European Cup days. And there's a thrill of anticipation in the entire staff. It's the biggest competition, it has a special appeal.
"I am not nervous, just in full anticipation. It's a bit like birthday as a child or maybe Christmas."
BVB have all players on board. Midfielder Julian Weigl travelled to Warsaw despite sustaining a nasal fracture on Saturday.
Shinji Kagawa, who missed the Leipzig match, was also on board the flight, while Turkey international Nuri Sahin once again did not make the squad.