Borussia Dortmund have made a small statement with a 3-1 Bundesliga success over Mainz but they know they have to confirm it in the next matches if they want to make it into Europe again next season.
The next test is on Saturday at Freiburg, where they will have to do without key defender and newly discovered corner kick taker Nico Schlotterbeck who will be suspended against his former club.
Schlotterbeck's new role surprised many but led to goals from Emre Can and Maximilian Beier, who scored his first Bundesliga brace after starting in place of injured Serhou Guirassy.
"Maxi scored two goals. It couldn't have gone better, but we still have some work to do. I'm very happy with the result," coach Niko Kovac told streaming portal DAZN.
"It's not normal for a centre-back to take the corners and free-kicks, but you could see why we chose him today. Not just today, but in the future too. Schlotti has a really great left foot.
"We won today, but we still have some work to do and there are still seven games remaining."
Dortmund are 10th, still four points away from the European zone and seven adrift of the top four for Champions League football.
They now face back to back Bundesliga matches away from home at seventh-placed Freiburg and leaders Bayern Munich, plus two Champions League quarter-finals against La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Dortmund remain cautious because they have had too many setbacks after victories over the season.
"We're still not where we want to be. We have to put our foot on the gas in every game. We did that for 90 minutes today. The basics are the be-all and end-all; everything else will then happen by itself," defender Waldemar Anton said.
Added sporting director Sebastian Kehl: "Freiburg await us next week and then it goes on. We don't want to let up, and the three points help."
