Nico Schlotterbeck: “That moment gave me a real boost” | OneFootball

Nico – it's good to have you back. How was the experience of making your comeback on Sunday? “It was very emotional in the end. Perhaps you didn’t notice it, but for the first time in a very long time I was nervous before a game. I listened to some music on the bus, then all was well when we arrived at the stadium. I wanted to go out onto the pitch before the warm-up, which isn’t something I generally do  – but I wanted to see what the grass was like and get myself used to the surroundings. Running out triumphantly for the warm-up was obviously an unbelievable feeling, I was absolutely delighted: the lads let me go out first, I led the way onto the pitch. It was really special and an emotional day all round.”

You had to sit on the sidelines for almost half a year, which was a new experience for you. How difficult was the journey to getting back onto the pitch? “It’s extremely difficult seeing the boys working hard every day while you’re on a pair of crutches. I wasn’t able to go to the stadium for example. It was just a thing for me; I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy myself in the stadium, because I’d be there with my crutches, all the while wanting to get involved and be out on the pitch. I worked a lot with our fitness coach Dennis Morschel, we built up a close relationship. Things just progressed step-by-step.”

When did you first get the sense things were looking up? When did you first perceive of your comeback as within reach?“The first time I was back in the stadium – that was at the stadium opener. I got a lot of love from the fans and I felt that it wouldn’t be long before I could return, that I just had to make it through the last five or six weeks. That’s when I was back working with the ball at the training ground. Then the season got underway and Dennis had to make me slow down a bit, because with all the excitement I was eager to press ahead to the next stage. But Dennis has been doing this for a long time and he told me it was still too soon. But it was around then that I really felt like the time was coming around soon. That moment at the season opener gave me a real boost.”

With all the experiences you’ve now gained, do you feel like your perhaps on the way to become an even better version of Nico Schlotterbeck?“From a physical perspective I’ve certainly never been as strong as I am now. In my physique and my running ability I’m at the my best level. On the footballing side of things, I was at around 70% on Saturday, I can give a lot more. I know that and I expect a lot from myself. I’m the person who puts most pressure on myself, because I know what I’m capable of and what I do in training. Sometimes I need to deliver it a little bit more in matches, but when I find my rhythm and my flow, I believe I can deliver an extra 10% or 20% compared to the last few years. If I do that, then good things will happen.”

The first steps have been made, and you're back on the playing field. What are the next steps for you in getting to the level you want to reach? “Clicking into your procedures is very important. Also working on things after training. I have a certain rhythm when I'm playing out from the back – that's something I still have to fine tune to really nail those processes with my teammates: how are we getting Serhou involved? How do I play it to my defensive midfielders? I'm always of the opinion that you should look to make the most of the things you're best at rather than focus too much on addressing your weak points. I'll be trying to do that in the coming weeks, so that I can get back into shape and play three games a week.”

You can watch the full interview with Nico Schlotterbeck on BVB-TV.