Borussia Dortmund faced an unexpected logistical challenge before departing for Baku ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Sabah.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing German newspaper Bild, the club discovered on the morning of departure that the aircraft would be too heavy to complete the planned nonstop flight with all the originally scheduled luggage on board.
To avoid an additional landing for refueling, Dortmund officials urgently revised their travel arrangements. Part of the team's luggage was transferred to an earlier flight carrying sponsors and journalists to the Azerbaijani capital.
Meanwhile, a larger and more comfortable aircraft was arranged specifically for the players. Club management wanted to ensure that the squad could travel in the best possible conditions during the approximately five-hour journey to Baku.
The unusual logistical measures came amid Borussia Dortmund's demanding schedule, which has required the German side to travel to Norway, Berlin and Azerbaijan within a relatively short period.
Earlier reports had suggested that Dortmund's aircraft might need to make an intermediate stop because of fuel limitations. However, redistributing the luggage allowed the club to avoid the additional landing and complete the journey without interruption.
The Champions League encounter between Sabah and Borussia Dortmund will take place at Baku Olympic Stadium on October 20, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45 local time.
