BVB new signing Marcel Lotka wants to be in the first team

Transfer poker with Hertha in May

“He couldn’t be held back and wanted it that way,” announced Hertha Managing Director Fredi Bobic at the end of May about the move from keeper Marcel Lotka to Borussia Dortmund. The 21-year-old, who joined the pros in January from the Berlin side and has impressed in ten Bundesliga games for the capital city club since February, was a real transfer game. In an interview with thetable football“Lotka now gives insights into “the most exhausting weeks of my life so far” and formulates surprisingly ambitious goals for his time with the Westphalians.

Background: The 21-year-old goalkeeper signed with the runners-up in March until 2024. It was only after signing in Dortmund that Lotka made the surprising career leap from number five to goalkeeper in the relegation battle with the Berliners. Bobic then explained in early May that Hertha would still use a contract clause with the goalkeeper to extend it by a year. BVB, on the other hand, always insisted on the legally concluded contract. The “old lady”, who secured a small share in the resale, avoided a possible legal dispute by withdrawing.

Lotka only fully reflected on the turbulent times and the “from zero to hundred” jump from the Regionalliga Nordost to the Bundesliga after the end of the season, he reported: “It’s a dream of every footballer to play in the Bundesliga. Of course you can’t believe it at first, but then I became very aware of it on vacation.” In Dortmund, the Polish U21 national keeper is scheduled for the U23s, started the preparatory training camp with the third division team on Friday, but should also do so in the future train again and again with the pros, where he receives shirt number 35.

“I’m happy to be here now,” said Lotka, who many critics attested to having gambled away the move to BVB and frivolously squandering the chance of regular Bundesliga appearances. In the test against Preußen Münster (1:1) he was back between the posts for the first time after a nose injury and was satisfied with his performance: “I went into the game very confidently and didn’t notice any areas where I needed more time. Everything is as before.”

BVB new signing Lotka: “Wants to be in goal for the first team in the long term”

While the native of Duisburg first has to earn his regular place in the competition with homegrown Luca Unbehaun, he formulates personal ambitions that go beyond that: “I will do my best. I have clear goals and I will aim for them. Of course I want to be in goal for the first team in the Bundesliga in the long term, that’s why I came,” the professional is quoted as saying by “Kicker”. U23 coach Christian Preusser, successor to Enrico Maaßen, who moved to FC Augsburg, is keeping a low profile when it comes to the competition between the posts: “Marcel is already fully in the team, he brings a lot with him, including experience. (…) We want to take our time. (…) Marcel now has the chance to get to know the team.”

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