Schlotterbeck: Dortmund is still underestimated in Germany and we can compete with Bayern Munich for the title

Niko Schlotterbeck, defender for Borussia Dortmund, has confirmed that his team does not receive enough appreciation in Germany, stressing his team's ability to compete with Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title this season, following the 2-2 draw against the Bavarians in the eighth round of the competition.

Schlotterbeck stated that Dortmund deserved the draw, although he admitted luck played a role in the result, after three Bayern Munich shots hit the post and crossbar. He added: "Of course, not everything was perfect. What Bayern Munich has been doing under Vincent Kompany in recent years is truly amazing; they have outstanding players and a fantastic team, and everything is working perfectly. I said last week that it might be Bayern's best team in the last 10 or 15 years."

He added: "But we are also a good team, and we proved that today. The draw is deserved; it is true that it is one point among many points still available in the league race, but it is better than our tally against Bayern Munich last season. We held firm, and we are still level on points with them, and we played a very good match, and that is what makes me happiest."

The German defender spoke about his team's development under coach Niko Kovač, saying: "We have become better at understanding each other on the pitch. Of course, not everything is perfect, but we are constantly improving. We have an incredibly cohesive defensive system, and we are good at playing out from the back."

Regarding the possibility of winning the title, he explained: "I see every day in training how good this team is, and I think some players do not yet realize their potential. We have to keep working, the season is long, but we are currently in good positions in all competitions."

He continued: "Of course, I want to celebrate the title at Borsigplatz, but the problem is that we have more than 25 rounds ahead of us. We are in a good position and level on points with Bayern, and we must continue to compete and keep the title race open. We have a good team and are capable of achieving something special, but Bayern is the clear favorite, while we play the role of the chaser."

Schlotterbeck emphasized that Borussia Dortmund deserves greater appreciation, stating: "I think we are still being underestimated in Germany, even some say we are not playing the best football. But we are a good team and we know that, and if we continue to play at this level, I am optimistic about our ability to keep the competition open for a long time."

For his part, Joshua Kimmich, Bayern Munich player, regarded Schlotterbeck's statements as a challenge to competitors, saying: "I really hope so, and I hope that the competing teams also want to win the title. It's clear that the competition this season will be very close."

In contrast, Niko Kovač has preferred not to overstate the title, confirming that his team is focusing on the two remaining matches before the international break, saying: "The competition is exciting, but we are still only in the eighth round, and we do not want to talk too much about this matter. We are in a good position and have presented a great image so far, but we have two matches we want to win before drawing the first assessment of our journey this season."