With a big ol’ Europa League quarter-final second leg against Liverpool to get ship-shape for, Borussia Dortmund decided to stage a pre-match training session at the humble home ground of Merseyside-based minnows Marine FC.
For the uninitiated, Marine FC currently play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division – the same league as Salford City, the club owned by the Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Neville brothers.
Having made the long trip to the north west, the Bundesliga big boys turned up and commandeered the 3,185-capacity Marine Travel Arena on Tuesday morning.
Illustrious visitors! German giants @BVB train at @MarineAFC ahead of @LFC clash tonight https://t.co/O4I4QR9N12 pic.twitter.com/FGKU268iXc
— The Non-League Paper (@NonLeaguePaper) April 14, 2016
Thomas Tuchel and his coaching staff then proceeded to put the Dortmund squad through their collective paces with a few reaction test drills in the Marine goalmouth…
Anschwitzen, Gentlemen! // Pre-warm up in relaxed atmosphere. #lfcbvb pic.twitter.com/ec8nibzu6k
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) April 14, 2016
A great morning hosting @BVB for a training session ahead of tonight’s game v @LFC https://t.co/u280EEPfty
— Marine Football Club (@MarineAFC) April 14, 2016
How lovely. Shades of Pele’s unlikely visit to Plymouth Argyle, even.