Marco Reus is chasing his big goal: to become champion once with BVB. In Munich, the Dortmunders can take a big step.

Every footballer experiences a realisation in the course of his career that can hit him more painfully than many a straddle. Just a moment ago the world was open, dreams were big. And then comes the day when the end is closer than the beginning.

Marco Reus once reported shortly before his 30th birthday that he still saw himself as a young player, but at some point he realised: “Hey, Marco, in four or five years it will be over for you. At the latest.”

It’s still on. Not for ever, but very successfully this year. Borussia Dortmund is the leader of the Bundesliga. Reus plays a lot, scores regularly, still provides special moments in black and yellow. Even at the age of 33, he remains a sporting asset for BVB, even if he no longer stands out as much as he did a few years ago. As team captain and a native of Dortmund, however, he is still a figure of identification for the people.

BVB has a one-point lead over FC Bayern Reus’ words date back to January 2019, when BVB was also at the top. In May, Bayern Munich should nevertheless be rejoicing again. On the road that did not lead to the title, Dortmund lost the derby against a weak Schalke 04 at the end of April in an absurd manner with 2:4. Reus, the unfinished, saw red – emblematic of his career, in which a remarkable footballer has won remarkably few titles.

That could change. Dortmund travel to southern Germany on Saturday with a one-point lead, where (6.30pm/Sky) record champions Bayern Munich ask to play the top game. “It’s not the decisive game, but it’s a very important one,” says Reus. Perhaps his most important.

To chug around Borsigplatz on a truck with the championship trophy is Reus’ lifelong dream, “to hold that thing up one day, that would be brutally beautiful, gigantic, a dream.” This season, in which Bayern have been unusually weak, may offer the last chance to do so.

Two cup victories (2017 and 2021) are on his CV. When BVB stormed to two championships under Jürgen Klopp, Reus was still fighting to stay in the league with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He had found his way there via Rot Weiss Ahlen after his club of choice had kicked him out. At Dortmund’s U17 level, the dribbler was thought to be too slight to assert himself in professional football – a serious misjudgement that cost BVB 17 million euros in the summer of 2012 to bring Reus home.

But the titles (and Dortmund’s best players) went to Munich in the following years. Reus was also repeatedly set back by injuries. The low point: the missed World Cup in 2014, when his buddy Mario Götze gave Germany the golden trophy. Reus, previously in the form of his life, had to watch from the sofa.

An idol of the fans

The successful Klopp years ended abruptly shortly afterwards, almost in fiasco. At the turn of the year 2014/15, the team plummeted to the bottom of the table. Reus preferred to extend his contract instead of chasing a title elsewhere.

This impressed. Even without the trophy, Marco Reus is an idol, and soon the fans will be painting his likeness on the grey walls of the stadium.

When will that be? Probably after Reus ends his career. His wish is to do so at Dortmund – but not yet this summer, even though his contract expires at the end of June. “There is nothing to announce yet,” says BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl. During the international break, Kehl had held talks, “but I can’t say anything more about Marco or the others today. We are not that far yet, I also think we should first concentrate on the next three games, then we will make a decision.” The game in Munich is followed by the DFB Cup quarter-final at RB Leipzig on Wednesday (8.45pm/ZDF) and the league home game against Union Berlin on Saturday (3.30pm/Sky).

Contract extension is the goal

Both sides are fundamentally interested in further cooperation – but the point is that they were their faces during the negotiations. Reus is still the defining face of the club and would like to be remunerated accordingly for this position. Borussia, however, is keen to send a signal that new hierarchies are gradually being brought about in the squad.

In the interview from the beginning, Reus was also asked what it would mean to start the autumn of his career. He replied, “Everything is enjoyment now.” A championship would be it especially.