Real Madrid News
German centre-back sees Real Madrid as his ‘dream club’
Just when Nico Schlotterbeck appeared to be out of the race to join Real Madrid owing to an imminent contract renewal with Borussia Dortmund, the player’s situation took a dramatic turn.
Speaking to the media recently, the German centre-back confirmed that he is still far from an agreement with his current employers, thus opening the door to a transfer once more.
“I’m glad you asked me that, because I read it in your news today.
“To be honest, I have to categorically deny it (that his contract renewal with Dortmund is close to being finalised). Unfortunately, we haven’t reached that point yet,” he said.
Real Madrid back on track
Now, as confirmed by Florian Plettenberg (h/t Madrid Xtra) in a recent update, Schlotterbeck continues to dream of a move to Real Madrid and sees the institution to be his ‘dream club.’
His contract renewal is indeed still a variable, and the decision will be made in the coming weeks.
Should he opt to reject the proposal, however, Real Madrid thus have a solid chance of landing the defender.
If the player is to leave Dortmund in the summer, Schlotterbeck will be available for a price of around €30 million, a sum that Los Blancos will not see as particularly high for a player of his quality.
At this point, everything thus boils down to the player’s decision. Perhaps for the first time in his career, his ‘dream move’ is in his own hands, especially given how Real Madrid are hellbent on making a centre-back signing in the summer.
So far this season, the 26-year-old has made 21 league appearances for his club and has four goals and an assist to show. He has overseen a whopping eight clean sheets and averages over 12 defensive actions per game.
Real Madrid kickstarted their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan, one of Jose Mourinho’s former teams, and the very club with whom he once conquered Europe.
Interestingly, Real Madrid’s second Champions League game of the season will see them take on another of Mourinho’s old sides, in the form of AS Roma.
It will be imperative for Los Blancos to secure three points once again as they look to build momentum heading into a demanding run of fixtures, including the October 25 Clasico against Barcelona.
A special return for Mourinho
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Wednesday’s trip to the Stadio Olimpico carries a personal edge for the Portuguese, who called the ground home between 2021 and 2024.
It was on the Roma bench that he reached his 1,000th match as a coach, and he became the first manager to lead teams to the finals of the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League.
He delivered silverware, too, guiding Roma to the inaugural Conference League title in 2021/22 with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord.
The following season he took them to the Europa League final, where they lost on penalties to Sevilla, before his time in Rome ended in January 2024.
A litmus test for Los Blancos
Mourinho will not be the only one feeling the occasion. Dean Huijsen, on loan at Roma from Juventus in 2024, and Antonio Rudiger, a Roma player between 2015 and 2017, both return to a former home.
Beyond the sentiment, the fixture is a genuine test of Madrid’s credentials. Roma sit among the early pacesetters in Serie A and will provide stiff opposition, making this a useful marker of how far Mourinho’s rebuild has come.
With the Clasico and a congested schedule looming, three points in Rome would do far more than strengthen Madrid’s European standing.
Fortunately, Real Madrid will also have Vinicius Jr. available for this match, as his suspension, which could potentially see him miss the Barcelona game, only applies to domestic competitions.
