After 168 days, Dortmund defender Schlottbeck returns against Wolfsburg. In an interview with the club's official media, Schlottbeck talked about his feelings.

I'm glad to see you come back, how does it feel to come back?

-This is really exciting. It may not be visible on the surface, but that was the first time in a long time when I felt nervous before the game. I listened to music on the bus for a while and it felt great to arrive at the stadium. Normally, I don’t play before warming up, but this time I want to see the lawn and get used to it. The entry ceremony during the warm-up was amazing, and I was very happy: my teammates asked me to leave first, and I was the first to enter the field. That day was really special and full of emotions.

You have been suspended for almost half a year, which is an unprecedented experience for you. How difficult is the road back to the court?

—It feels very difficult when you see your teammates working hard every day while you keep on crutches. For example, I can't even go to the stadium. This is a turning point: if I go to the court, I will not be able to really enjoy the game because I have a cane, and I want to join in seeing my teammates fighting on the court. During this time, I worked with physical coach Dennis Mosher and built a close relationship. Then we move forward step by step.

When did you feel things start to get better for the first time? When did you feel that your comeback is right in front of you for the first time?

—When I first got back on the court—that was at the beginning of the season. I got a lot of love from the fans, I knew it wasn't far from my comeback, and I just needed to hold on for another five to six weeks, and that was the time when I started playing on the court again. At the opening ceremony of the season, Dennis Mosher had to control my progress because I was so excited to go to the next step as soon as possible. But he is experienced and it is too early to tell me. However, that moment made me realize that the day of a comeback was approaching and the opening of the season gave me a lot of motivation.

With these experiences, do you think you will become stronger?

—Physically, I have never been so strong. I've reached my peak in terms of physical fitness and running. But in terms of football technology, I only played 70% of the level in Sunday's game, and there is still a lot of room for improvement. I know my abilities and have high expectations for myself. I am the person who puts the most pressure on myself because I know what I can do. Sometimes I need to play better in the game, but once I find the rhythm, I believe I can get another 10% to 20% higher than in the past few years. If you can do this, everything will be very good.

What are the next steps to achieve the state you want?

—It is very important to regain the rhythm of the game. Even after training, some details need to be adjusted. I have my own passing rhythm and now I need to improve further to rebuild my understanding with my teammates: How to work with Gilasi? How to pass the ball to the midfielder? I have always believed that the advantages should be used more than just to make up for weaknesses. I will work hard to do this in the next few weeks to get back to a full 90-minute kick three times a week.