Dortmund s official interview with Schlottbeck: Physical condition reaches a new high; hope to return to the rhythm of the game

Hupu September 24th In Dortmund's game against Wolfsburg, central defender Nico Schlottbeck finally made a comeback and played for 90 minutes. This is his debut after being out of the game for 168 days due to injury. After the game, he reviewed his feelings about his comeback in an interview with the team media and talked about the difficult recovery process.

Welcome to return! How did you experience the comeback moment last Sunday?

"The heart was very touched. Maybe it wasn't obvious from the outside, but I haven't felt nervous before the game for a long time. I listened to some music when I was sitting on the bus. After arriving at the stadium, I even wanted to walk on the lawn in advance to adapt to the environment. I actually don't do these things normally. The entry during the warm-up was even more special. My teammates let me walk in the front. The atmosphere was so crazy. I was really happy at that moment. This day was very special for me. "

You have been on the court for almost half a season, and this experience is brand new to you. How difficult is the process of returning?

"It's really difficult. I watch my teammates train every day, but I can only use crutches and can't even watch the game. It feels so uncomfortable. You want to participate in the game, but you can't do anything. During this period, I worked very closely with physical coach Dennis Mosher. We established a strong connection and then walked forward step by step."

When did you feel that your comeback is approaching?

"It was during the season opening game. I stood on the court again and received a lot of love from the fans. At that moment, I knew that the comeback was right in front of me. Actually, I was able to train at that time, and I was very anxious to move forward to the next stage, but Mosher had to remind me not to be too fast. But it was on the day of the opening game that I really felt that I would be back soon."

After this process, do you think you are stronger than before?

"Fitness, yes. My physical fitness and running abilities are now peaking. But the football state may be only 70%, and I can do more. I am very demanding of myself, I know my abilities and my performance in training, so I will put a lot of pressure on myself. I believe that if I can enter the familiar rhythm and process, I can improve by 10% to 20% compared to the past. If I do, it would be great."

You have taken the first step, what do you need to do to fully return to your ideal state?

"The most important thing is to regain the rhythm of the game. After training, I will make some extra adjustments, such as regaining the rhythm of the ball and strengthening the cooperation with my teammates. Like echoing with Gilasi, or how to better connect with the back midfielder. These all take time. My philosophy is to try to make the best of my strengths, rather than blindly covering up my weaknesses. I will do this in the next few weeks and make sure I can play 90 minutes in three games a week."