Borussia Dortmund brace for Schlotterbeck exit

Dortmund’s stunning collapse in the Champions League, eliminated after a 4-1 loss away to Atalanta following a 2-0 first-leg win in Germany, has left consequences beyond the scoreboard. In Germany, the defeat is seen as another blow to the credibility of the BVB project, already knocked out early in the DFB-Pokal and well off the pace in the Bundesliga title race.

In that context, Nico Schlotterbeck, who is on Real Madrid’s radar, has become an even more relevant figure. The defender, still working his way back to full fitness, remained on the bench for precautionary reasons during the 90 minutes in Italy and witnessed firsthand what sections of the German press described as an “anti-match” for convincing him to stay.

The tabloid Bild was blunt in an opinion column that effectively writes off the Germany international. “It is undeniable: star defender Nico Schlotterbeck has left BVB executives uncertain for months over whether he will extend his contract, which runs through 2027, or leave in the summer. This despite a salary increase to €14 million per year. Despite the offer of a release clause. Despite a comprehensive plan to make him feel comfortable. Why? Because ‘Schlotti’ reportedly wants, in addition to much more money, a binding guarantee of titles.”

Bayern out of reach

“At the very least, he wants to feel that black and yellow are truly capable of competing with Bayern until the final matchday. He wants to see the club massively upgrade squad quality through new signings. As things stand, both are difficult to assess positively,” the outlet added. As a result, the newspaper points to a “trend toward a summer exit” if an offer meets the club’s financial expectations.

At the same time, Real Madrid have intensified their monitoring of the left-footed center back, a regular starter for both Dortmund and Germany. At Valdebebas, adding a top-level defender for the coming seasons is considered a priority. As previously reported by AS, Schlotterbeck’s name has gained momentum in recent weeks ahead of other alternatives.

The strong institutional relationship between the two clubs, along with Dortmund’s need to make a decision if he does not renew, creates a scenario in which Madrid could move for the German as soon as this summer.

The defender apologizes

As for the incident that led Spanish referee José María Sánchez Martínez to approach the Dortmund bench and send him off immediately after awarding Atalanta a decisive penalty following a VAR review, Schlotterbeck issued a statement on social media:

“Hello dear fans. First of all, as a team and personally, we are extremely disappointed. I want to clarify something quickly. After what seemed like ten Atalanta players stood up at the same time and loudly protested, I also stood up and told them to sit back down. That was it. No insults, no disrespectful gestures or anything like that. Why I received a red card for that is something the referee himself could not explain to me after the match. I just wanted to make that clear.”

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.