Pascal Gross calls on Dortmund to approach every match like a final in their quest for a top-four finish.

As Borussia Dortmund gears up for their upcoming clash with seventh-placed Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday, midfielder Pascal Gross has emphasised the need to treat every match like a final in their quest for a top-four finish in the Bundesliga.

Currently sitting eighth in the league with 42 points from 29 matches, Dortmund finds themselves in their lowest position since the 2014-15 season, where they ended up seventh. They are trailing fourth-placed RB Leipzig by six points, with just five games left to play this season.

Despite being eliminated from the Champions League after a 5-3 aggregate loss to Barcelona, Dortmund’s confidence in securing a European spot has received a boost from their impressive 3-1 home victory over the Catalan giants midweek.

“In this stadium, with our fans behind us, we can overcome any team in the world. It would be incredibly painful to miss out on that,” Gross remarked to reporters on Saturday.

“That’s why we must put every ounce of effort into these final five matches to gather as many points as we can. This season has been quite tumultuous. We’ve already dropped too many points to comfortably reach our goal.

“However, when you look at the standings, anything can happen. The next five matches are pivotal for us.”

Gross, now 33, noted that the team is displaying greater cohesion, stating: “I believe we are more solid as a unit now. If one player makes a misstep, someone else steps in to rectify it. That fosters trust in our actions.”

Dortmund’s manager, Nico Kovac, has urged his squad to display more passion and aggression in the final stretch of the season, revealing that captain Emre Can and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who was sidelined during the game against Barcelona due to injury, are both available for selection against Gladbach.