Zorc bites back at Bayern: Dortmund did not give up on Champions League

Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has dismissed Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's suggestion that the club gave up midway through their Champions League campaign after realising that they were not going to win the tournament.

The German champions' coach, Jurgen Klopp, stated after his side's elimination at the end of the group stages that the Bundesliga was of greater importance to him, a declaration that Bayern Munich CEO Rummenigge took to mean that that Dortmund had effectively thrown in the towel after collecting just one point from their first three European outings.

However, Zorc has rubbished the suggestion that they had disrespected the Champions League in such a fashion.

"We've not been deliberately eliminated,” the former midfielder told Bild. “We have a young team that has made mistakes and had to collect experience.

“If we qualify next season, we will definitely do better."

Dortmund currently top the Bundesliga, while Bayern, who face Basel in the last 16 of the Champions League, sit third.