Emre Can reborn? BVB star Schlotterbeck has high hopes | OneFootball

BVB star Nico Schlotterbeck is encouraging captain Emre Can: Despite his ongoing rehab after an ACL tear, he sees a clearly positive development in his teammate.

Nico Schlotterbeck has revealed a positive trend regarding his injured teammate Emre Can. In an interview on the BVB YouTube channel, the center-back spoke openly about their time together in rehab and looked ahead with confidence to the captain’s comeback.

Emre Can has been sidelined since February 28, 2026, with an ACL tear he suffered in the home game against Bayern Munich. Since then, the 32-year-old has been battling through rehab in a bid to return. The captain is already absent from BVB’s Champions League squad, and he is also likely to remain unavailable to Dortmund in the Bundesliga for quite some time.

It was during this period that Nico Schlotterbeck accompanied his teammate through rehab, as both were working on their recovery at the same time. Speaking about that shared experience, Nico Schlotterbeck said: “It’s a mixed feeling. On the one hand, I was incredibly glad that he was there with me during my rehab because he supported me massively.” The captain also left a lasting impression on him personally: “A lot of people only know Emre (Can, editor’s note) from television, but he is a very kind, polite person and a top footballer.”

At the same time, Nico Schlotterbeck did not hide how tough the situation was for both players: “On the other hand, of course it would have been better if neither of us had needed to be in rehab.” Still, he had encouraging words for his captain’s future: “Emre still has a longer road ahead of him than I did, but when he comes back, we’ll see the best Emre we’ve seen in a long time.”

The big BVB question: What happens with captain Emre Can?

However, far more than just sporting form is at stake for Emre Can when it comes to his comeback. His contract with BVB runs until June 2027, meaning he could leave on a free transfer after this season. That also puts his future in Dortmund increasingly into focus.

Photo: IMAGO

Even before his serious injury, Emre Can was no longer considered an undisputed starter. At the moment, there are six defenders ahead of him in the internal pecking order: Nico Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini, Filippo Mane, Luca Reggiani, and Joane Gadou. Even if at least four of them are still expected to be at BVB next season, Emre Can is still far from guaranteed a regular starting spot — even after his comeback and despite his role as team captain.

Nico Schlotterbeck, in any case, would be delighted to see his captain back on the training ground and in competitive action soon.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.