Schlotterbeck reflects on Dortmund’s defeat to Tottenham

Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck gave an honest assessment of his side’s performance after their 2–0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, pointing to key moments that swung the game away from the Black and Yellows.

Schlotterbeck felt Dortmund started the match reasonably well but quickly lost control. “The first five minutes were okay, but after that we allowed far too much,” he explained. “Once the red card happened, the first half was basically over for us.”

Despite being a man down, Dortmund showed some improvement after the break. “The second half was better. We moved the ball more and our movement was improved, too, but we never managed to score the goal that would have brought us back into the game,” Schlotterbeck said.

The centre-back also admitted to a moment of frustration involving teammate Julian Brandt in the build-up to Tottenham’s opening goal. “I was a bit frustrated with Jule because he turned away just before the goal,” Schlotterbeck noted, before adding a note of understanding: “But unfortunately that’s something you often see with attacking players.”

Looking ahead, Schlotterbeck stressed the importance of a strong response, especially with domestic football in mind. “We have to shake this off now and pull ourselves together,” he warned. “Otherwise, we can forget about getting good results in the Bundesliga as well.”

Dortmund will now be under pressure to respond quickly as they look to regain momentum both in Europe and at home.