BVB star Schlotterbeck on bench role: "If so, I'm happy" | OneFootball

Nico Schlotterbeck was surprisingly only on the bench during BVB’s Champions League victory over Bilbao. After the match, the central defender was already looking ahead optimistically to the upcoming challenges.

Borussia Dortmund won their first home game of the Champions League group stage against Athletic Bilbao with a 4-1 victory—but for central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, the match started unexpectedly on the bench.

Coach Niko Kovac explained the decision before kickoff as a precaution. “Nico has been out for more than months now. He recently played two consecutive games for the full 90 minutes,” he told DAZN. In close consultation with the medical department, they decided not to take the risk: “It wouldn’t be safe to throw him back in.”

Nevertheless, the 25-year-old came on in the 70th minute, with BVB leading 2-1. After the final whistle, Schlotterbeck showed understanding: “As a player, you always want to play, but it was probably the right decision.” At the same time, he was already looking ahead to the next challenge: “Now we have an important game in Leipzig, and I expect to play there. Then we’ll win in Leipzig and I’ll be happy.”

BVB bosses hope for contract extension with defensive leader Schlotterbeck

Schlotterbeck is also in the spotlight off the pitch. The defender still has a contract in Dortmund until 2027, but talks are already underway about an early extension. Sporting director Sebastian Kehl emphasized to Sky: “We’ve been in talks for a while. I can promise that we’re working on it.” It may still take some time, but Kehl remains “very optimistic.”

Schlotterbeck himself recently indicated that he wants to take his time: “We’ll have talks now. I’ll sit down with Sebastian Kehl, make a plan, and then we’ll see what comes of it.”

BVB managing director Lars Ricken underlined how important the national player is for the club: “He is an absolute figure of identification for our fans. We don’t even need to talk about his sporting achievements.”

Thus, Nico Schlotterbeck remains a key figure for Dortmund both on the pitch and in terms of his contract—and he hopes to be back in the starting lineup as early as this weekend.

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