Borussia Dortmund fell to another defeat in the Bundesliga on Wednesday, losing 1-0 against a 10-man FC Augsburg, with fans at the Westfalenstadion voicing their frustration at the club's current plight.
After the winter break, Dortmund have continued one of the most dramatic declines in the league's history. Following Augsburg's first win over them, BVB have gathered just at 16 points after 19 games to sink to the bottom of the Bundesliga.
Augsburg took the lead only minutes after half time, and despite a 62nd minute red card for Augsburg defender Christoph Janker, Dortmund failed to create chances in the final 30 minutes of the match.
"The result hurts. But we should not pretend we have nothing to do with it. We could have defended their goal five or six times, and still [Raul] Bobadilla was left unmarked," Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp told Sky TV after the match.
Klopp, who is still only under mild pressure from the German media and -- at least publically -- has not yet been questioned by BVB, added that "there's little positive to say" about the match.
"After the red card we failed to create anything of note until stoppage time," he added. "There's no doubt that nerves play a part in our situation. We need to bring them under control. We can be accused of anything tonight and it is all justified, but we won't give up."
For the first time this season, the capacity crowd at the Westfalenstadion also addressed their discontent with the situation and whistled at the team following the match.
Klopp said: "I can understand the fans' frustrations," while Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller, who walked up to the Sudtribune to talk to the fans after the match, added: "They created a sensational atmosphere in the first half. And you have to understand that they want to see a victory here."
Meanwhile centre-back Neven Subotic insisted that the players were hurting as much as those watching from the stands. "We are aware that they are angry. It's an important part of their lives," he said. "But it's also an important of our lives, and that's why we are also annoyed, but we need to keep our temper."
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been one of the players under fire and the Armenian has been linked with a move away from Dortmund in the summer, with the midfielder's agent Mino Raiola insisting that he could sign for Juventus.
However, speaking to kicker, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke denied recent reports over a rift between the club and Mkhitaryan, who has so far failed to score or contribute to a goal in the ongoing season, saying: "Maybe there is a problem between Raiola and BVB, but there is certainly none between Mkhitaryan and BVB."