OMNISPORT

Thomas Tuchel feels it is "dangerous" to be flattered by links with Real Madrid, as his sole focus is on Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke claimed at the weekend the Champions League holders are "tracking" Tuchel but stressed he was not concerned about the prospect of the coach leaving Signal Iduna Park, where he is under contract until 2018. 

Tuchel, 43, enjoyed a successful first season at Dortmund after replacing Jurgen Klopp in 2015, steering the team to second in the Bundesliga and to the final of the DFB-Pokal. 

BVB sit sixth in the Bundesliga table after a 3-3 draw at FC Ingolstadt on Saturday, while they are also level on points with Real Madrid at the top of Champions League Group F, having drawn 2-2 at home to Zinedine Zidane's side last month.

And Tuchel has insisted he is not being distracted by talk of a potential move to Santiago Bernabeu.

"It's dangerous if you are flattered as a coach. You lose focus on the important things," he said.

"I read it as a rumour before our game in Ingolstadt and so I already said back then that it's dangerous to admit it and to think about it because it takes on too much importance.

"The essential [focus] is the work with my team every day and I don't have any other thoughts."

Dortmund are in DFB-Pokal action at home to Union Berlin on Wednesday.