Schlotterbeck: “We showed the right mentality”

Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck has reaffirmed his title ambitions following their win over Wolfsburg.

A late winner from Serhou Guirassy in the 87th minute sealed a dramatic 2-1 victory at the Volkswagen Arena, temporarily cutting Dortmund’s deficit to league leaders Bayern to just three points.

“We did what people have been saying for years that we couldn’t do – we showed the right mentality,” Schlotterbeck told Sky after the final whistle. “We played well in the first half and not so well in the second, but we have the individual quality to decide matches. You saw it with Felix (Nmecha) making that powerful run, the pass from Fabio (Silva), and then Serhou Guirassy finishing it. He’s exactly where a striker needs to be.”

Dortmund were put under heavy pressure after conceding the equaliser, with Wolfsburg pushing hard in the second half. Mohammed Amoura alone squandered several clear chances to put the hosts ahead. “That can happen in football, especially when you have a lot at stake,” Schlotterbeck admitted. “They increased the pressure, and in the end we were fortunate to concede only once during that phase.”

Despite the narrow nature of the win against a side battling near the bottom of the table, Schlotterbeck remains confident about Dortmund’s prospects at the top. “The key thing is that we stay focused and believe we can climb the table,” he said. “I hope my passion helped the team a little. The lads could see how much it meant to me.”

With Emre Can sidelined through injury, Schlotterbeck has taken on the captain’s armband and relished the responsibility. “When Emre isn’t there, I’m the captain – and that means setting the tone,” the 26-year-old explained.

However, his afternoon ended on a sour note, as a fifth yellow card – awarded for a handball that led to Wolfsburg’s equaliser – rules him out of Friday night’s home clash against Mainz (20:30 CET). “That hurts a lot,” Schlotterbeck admitted.