The gritty, hard-fought victory at Freiburg was a testament to Dortmund's growing maturity, but it was not the kind of football that set the soul on fire.
It was a necessary grind, a professional performance, but it lacked the spark, the flair, the sheer joy that had become the hallmark of Klopp's team.
As they prepared for their next Champions League match, a home game against the Belgian champions, Anderlecht, there was a collective desire to return to their free-flowing, attacking best.
Klopp, sensing the mood in the squad, was clear about his expectations. "Freiburg was about character," he declared in the pre-match briefing.
"Tonight is about quality. I want a dominant performance. I want us to control the game from start to finish. I want us to show the world why we are one of the best teams in Europe. And I want us to enjoy ourselves. To play with a smile on our faces, to express ourselves, to be Dortmund."
