Borussia Dortmund: Nico Schlotterbeck Defends Contract Comments & Kehl Impact

Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck has once again addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding his contract extension. The 26-year-old faced significant criticism from the German press during the recent international break after publicly acknowledging that the club's decision to part ways with sporting director Sebastian Kehl, his preferred contact for negotiations, impacted his willingness to commit his future to BVB.

Schlotterbeck's Contract Situation Explained

Following a subpar performance for the German national team, Schlotterbeck adopted a defensive stance when discussing Kehl. Both Schlotterbeck and Dortmund's managing director, Lars Ricken, provided insights into the matter ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga clash against VfB Stuttgart. Schlotterbeck emphasized that he simply felt compelled to refute widespread reports from the previous weekend claiming he had already agreed to an extension.

Lars Ricken Attempts to Smooth Things Over

"He mentioned that some things had shifted, but in my view, nothing has fundamentally changed," Ricken informed reporters prior to the game. "Upon his return from international duty, Nico and I met privately on Monday, without his agent present. It was clear that our relationship of trust remains completely intact."

Ricken continued, "His passion for the club was evident. We won't delay in scheduling our next discussion. Nico has his expectations, and the club has its own terms. Nevertheless, I approach these negotiations with optimism. Nico appeared very receptive and engaged."

Schlotterbeck Clarifies His Stance

"I had a productive discussion with Lars and [new sporting director Nils] Ole [Book]," Schlotterbeck told the media after the final whistle. "My denial of the contract extension reports was not intended to be malicious towards either the media or BVB. I was simply taken aback by the reports and wanted to be transparent."

Schlotterbeck added, "I anticipated a negative reaction, but I felt it was important to clarify. Since it concerned me personally, I wanted to correct what had been falsely reported. If a media outlet claims I'm signing, and I haven't, I end up looking foolish."

He concluded with a direct statement: "I cannot satisfy everyone."