In early summer 2022, Marcel Lotka’s move from Hertha BSC to Borussia Dortmund caused a stir. A good six months later it is finally clear to the goalkeeper hope where her place at BVB is in the foreseeable future.
After Lotka was usually the third keeper at the start of the season with the pros, he is now scheduled to be the regular keeper of BVB II in the 3rd division. This was confirmed by coach Jan Zimmermann.
“It is currently planned that Marcel will remain in goal and we will not change,” the “kicker” quoted the 43-year-old as saying. “Marcel is an above-average goalkeeper in the 3rd division. He helps us a lot, so I’m happy that he’s with us.”
A decision that could be both a curse and a blessing. Since Dortmund’s second representation starts in the third-highest German division, Lotka can regularly collect match practice at a quite high level, but the place as the third keeper of the professionals is taken by competitor Luca Unbehaun for the time being.
BVB hopefuls now a farewell candidate?
However, there are many indications that planning in the Ruhr area is more likely to be done with Lotka. Unbehaun’s contract ends in the summer, the working paper has not yet been extended and “Bild” named the 22-year-old, who was once considered a great hope between the posts, as a potential farewell candidate.
For comparison: Unbehaun’s contract would have expired in the summer of 2022, but further cooperation was agreed at the beginning of February.
The statistics do not necessarily speak for Unbehaun remaining in Dortmund. The German junior international conceded 70 goals in 59 third division games, and in 2022/23 he had to get behind 13 times in just six appearances. Lotka, who has made 18 appearances in the third division this season, has only conceded 21 goals.