Aubameyang can beat Lewandoski to Bundesliga top scorer – Tuchel

Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel has backed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to win the Torjagerkanone — the prize for the Bundesliga’s top scorer — if he puts the team ahead of his individual goals.

Having scored 29 goals this season, Aubameyang trails Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski by one goal going into the final match of the season.

The Gabon forward has once again had an excellent season for Dortmund, but two missed penalties against Hertha Berlin and Hoffenheim have proved costly in his bid to top the goal-scoring chart. With another miss in the Champions League at Benfica in February, his tally from the penalty spot stands at one converted from four attempts.

Asked whether Aubameyang would be allowed to take a penalty against Werder Bremen on Saturday, Tuchel said that he first of all wants to see his team win to guarantee a place in the Champions League group stage.

“It’s a team game,” Tuchel said during his prematch news conference. “It’s clear that team goals are more important than personal goals. But nobody will not allow him to score.

“Yet, it’s a team game, and I would like to think that Auba would pass a ball to his teammate when this is what it takes to score a goal.

“If you focus on team goals, you will also reach individual goals. And we’ll discuss whether he’d take a penalty tomorrow.”

Dortmund need to beat Bremen and hope Hoffenheim, who play Augsburg, do not better their result by five goals.

“It’s a special starting position,” Tuchel said ahead of what could be his final home game as the Borussia Dortmund coach. “It will be a special experience, independent of what happens to me.”

The week after, Dortmund take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB Pokal final, and two wins could see BVB reach their season goals of despite a very turbulent season off the pitch.

“I am looking forward to the atmosphere inside the stadium,” Tuchel said. “I will soak it in and the team will as well. We need the fans, and we need a win and we want that win.”

Dortmund have most of their players available to face Werder Bremen, who still have an outside chance of reaching the Europa League.

The injured Julian Weigl could be replaced by Nuri Sahin, who has returned to training in recent weeks. Defenders Lukasz Piszczek, Erik Durm and Matthias Ginter all remain doubtful with minor injuries.