Tuchel admits he can't explain Dortmund's Europa collapse
Thomas Tuchel admits he has no explanation for Borussia Dortmund's collapse against Liverpool in the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night.
Leading 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate with 24 minutes remaining, Dortmund conceded three goals, the last coming in stoppage time from Dejan Lovren, to send Liverpool through to the last four.
Tuchel, who said the atmosphere inside Anfield helped the home side's cause, said he had no "tactical or logical" reasoning for the comeback.
"If you expect an explanation, I probably have to disappoint you because an explanation would mean that things are logical or tactical or at least in moments you see where a game goes to the other side," he said.
"None of this happened. We had a great reaction on the first goal of Liverpool and we scored a third one.
"With the equalizer it was an atmosphere where everybody, except our supporters, believed it was meant to be."
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp referenced the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul as inspiration, where the Reds came back to beat AC Milan on penalties having been 3-0 down at half-time.
Tuchel said that result 11 years ago contributed to the atmosphere at Anfield, triggered when Philippe Coutinho scored in the 66th minute to make it 3-2 on the night.
"If you think back to the Champions League final against Milan and coming back from 3-0, that contributed to the energy in the stadium," he added.
"Liverpool had no positions any more and it was like everyone here believed in this lucky punch and unfortunately we gave it away.
"When they scored the first goal we reacted well and scored a third. When Liverpool equalized perhaps there was a change in belief in the stadium and perhaps a feeling that it was meant to be."
