Dortmund were beaten 2-1 by Hoffenheim in Sinsheim, with two penalties ultimately deciding the outcome.
Dortmund's sporting director Lars Ricken and coach Niko Kovač refrained from blaming the match officials for the defeat.
Ricken highlighted that Niki Süle sustained an injury moments before the ball struck his hand, leading to the first spot-kick.
He said the sequence, including Süle's injury and the handball, could be interpreted as justifying the decision under the rules, noting that the referee did not immediately blow his whistle.
Ricken added that there is no benefit to pointing fingers at the referee, acknowledging that everyone in the stadium could see what happened while emphasising that Dortmund would focus on their own issues.
Speaking at his postmatch press conference, Kovač likewise did not blame the referees and praised Hoffenheim while offering modest praise for his own side.
He said Hoffenheim dominated the first half and Dortmund were not present on the pitch, giving the ball away too easily, failing to create enough going forward, and then conceding a penalty.
He accepted the second-half penalty decision, stating the hand was away from the body, and noted that the second half was better as Dortmund moved the ball more effectively and pressed higher.
However, apart from the goal and one half-chance, Dortmund failed to create many clear opportunities, and the second penalty left the result unaltered.
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