Sven Bender: 'We're aiming for second place'

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender has insisted that his side are determined to reclaim second spot in the Bundesliga table.

After a poor run of form, winning just one in six league games prior to the winter break, Dortmund slipped down to fourth in the table.

Catching league leaders Bayern Munich is seemingly beyond Dortmund at this stage of the season, though Bender has revealed that the team are confident of climbing to second if they revert back to their usual playing style soon.

"We will give everything to reclaim second spot," Bender told the club's official website.

"We will have to focus again on what has made us a strong team: effective transitional play, aggressive defending, counter pressing.

"We will need to be 100 per cent physical and have the desire to go, for instance, from 2-0 to 3-0."

Dortmund return from the mid-season break on January 25 to host Augsburg.