Nico Schlotterbeck provides injury update: ‘I believe it won’t take much longer’
Borussia Dortmund have had to do without defensive leader Nico Schlotterbeck throughout both the entirety of pre-season and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup due to injury. Whilst the date for his comeback remains unconfirmed, the 26-year-old has now offered some insight into his rehabilitation.
Schlotterbeck hasn’t played a competitive match since 20 June, when he sustained the injury to his ankle in Germany’s second group-stage match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Ivory Coast.
His tournament was over, and Dortmund knew then they would have to begin the 2026/27 campaign without their defensive leader.
Speaking in an interview with Sky, Schlotterbeck put it simply: “It’s basically a long, drawn‑out story.”
“It wasn’t easy at the World Cup. At first, I thought it wasn’t that bad and kept playing,” he added.
Since then, the 26‑year‑old has been working on his comeback, and when training resumed in mid‑July, Dortmund’s management team had still hoped for a return shortly before or after the first international break in September and October, though they knew the left-sided defender would not feature in their Franz Beckenbauer Supercup clash with fierce rivals Bayern Munich.
Despite a tone of cautious optimism, Schlotterbeck still didn’t want to make any predictions.
The 26-year-old explained: “We have to take it day by day. We’re trying to let it heal properly and do good work with the physios and the rehab coaches. Then I believe it won’t take much longer.”
Dortmund sporting director Ole Book had already praised Schlotterbeck’s commitment during rehab.
Speaking on the current situation of the injured duo of Schlotterbeck and club captain Emre Can earlier in the summer, Book said: “I see both of them fully motivated every day. During their rehab, they both contribute enormously as leaders - to the team, to the togetherness, to the group. But how long it will take exactly, nobody can say - and certainly not me.”
As such, it came as a surprise to nobody that Schlotterbeck was not involved in Dortmund’s 2–1 defeat to Bayern in the Supercup and Die Schwarzgelben will continue to have to do without him in the first weeks of the season as well, as Dortmund kick off their 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign on 29 August when they welcome Hamburg to Signal Iduna Park (kick-off 6.30pm CEST).
