• Stars turn out for fans at club’s Christmas party • Jürgen Klopp: I don’t need a vote of confidence • Real Madrid do not have first option on Marco Reus

Borussia Dortmund’s players attempted to put their awful start to the Bundesliga season behind them as they poured pints of beer for supporters at the club’s Christmas party on Tuesday.

Jürgen Klopp’s side sunk to the bottom of the table over the weekend after losing 2-0 to Eintracht Frankfurt and face seventh-placed Hoffenheim on Friday night.

But despite Klopp admitting earlier in the week that his players are now in a relegation battle, captain Roman Weidenfeller and fellow first-team stars Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan and Nevan Subotic all pitched in to ensure no fans went thirsty.

“BVB’s players signed autographs for over two and a half hours and finally served behind the bar, another thank you for the fantastic support from the stands during a season that has so far brought little in the way of sporting cheer,” read a post on the club’s official website.

Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels gets into the Christmas spirit. Photograph: Borussia Dortmund

Klopp was in charge of Mainz when they were relegated in 2007 before resigning the following season when they failed to win promotion. At a press conference on Wednesday to preview the Hoffenheim match, he admitted that the team has been struggling but retains faith that they can turn their season around.

“I don’t need a vote of confidence, I’ve had it a thousand times before. The team needs it now,” he said. “It’s a little tough at the moment, and we’ve got to be ready for that. I am.

“I know how a relegation battle works and how a team has to think in order to get out of it. We’ve got to learn not to get down about our mistakes, instead stay calm and keep playing football.”