football
Near the end of your career? Reus is now only second choice at BVB
Football: There are many signs that Marco Reus’ career is coming to an end this summer. photo
© Federico Gambarini/dpa
Hardly any player enjoys greater popularity at BVB than Marco Reus. But that doesn’t currently protect him from a place on the reserve bench. This fuels rumors about an imminent end to his career.
For weeks he has been spending more time on the bench than on the pitch. At Borussia Dortmund Marco Reus is currently only second choice – recently not even that.
Although coach Edin Terzic rotated six professionals from the team in his team’s 2-1 win in Mönchengladbach in order to rest them for the quarter-final second leg in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid, the 34-year-old was not used. “It was hard for Marco, I know that. We spoke to each other again yesterday,” said the soccer teacher.
Since the end of the winter break, the second-best goalscorer in BVB history has mostly had to make do with being a reserve player. Not least because of this, the relationship between the 34-year-old veteran and Terzic is considered tense. Many observers interpret the coach’s treatment of the 48-time national player as a gradual retirement and an indication of an end to his career this summer.
Contract extension unlikely
It’s hard to imagine that Reus, who is still popular with fans and was born in Dortmund, would extend his expiring contract again for another year. Neither the club nor the players seem interested.
The former BVB captain has not yet expressed public criticism of Terzic. But the stone-faced facial expressions of the former exceptional talent after substitutions reveal more than a thousand words. Aware of the great popularity of Reus, whose autographs are still the most sought-after when his club travels abroad, the Dortmund coach always chooses diplomatic words when asked about his chances of playing: “A player doesn’t always have to approve of a coach’s decision. But he should I respect them and can show with good performances that I was wrong. That’s the reason why we don’t have 14 but 26 outfield players in the squad.”