In the Austrian first division, Till Schumacher is a perennial favorite. Forecasting spoke to the Essen native.

At the age of 26, Till Schumacher has already seen a lot of the soccer world. Born in Essen, he played for Rot-Weiss Essen for eight years as a youth player before moving to Borussia Dortmund, where he first became U17 champion and later celebrated winning the German championship as captain with the U19 team. Schumacher signed a professional contract with BVB, but did not play a competitive match for the Bundesliga team as a young player.

His departure from Dortmund in 2018 was followed by spells abroad: he played in the Czech Republic from 2018 to 2021, and the left-back has been under contract with Austria Klagenfurt in the Austrian first division since 2021.

The former German junior international is currently experiencing the best phase of his career to date. Schumacher is one of only three outfield players in the Austrian top flight to have been on the pitch from the first to the last minute of all 21 matches and is an absolute key player at Klagenfurt.

An extremely important match awaits the first division club on Sunday (March 10, 5 p.m.) against Rapid Vienna. Should Klagenfurt secure at least a draw, the club would qualify for the “Championship Round” and have the chance to play for the international places.

Before the Vienna game, Forecasting spoke to Till Schumacher (26), whose contract expires at the end of the season:

Till Schumacher, this season you’ve been on the pitch from the first to the last minute in all 21 Bundesliga games for Austria Klagenfurt. Only two other outfield players in the league have managed that. How satisfied are you with the season so far and your personal performances?

Of course I’m very proud of that and it also shows somewhere that my performances have been good, otherwise I would probably have been substituted at some point. However, I know that there is still a lot of potential for improvement. So of course I’m extremely satisfied, but I’m also very hungry to get better. As a player, I subordinate everything to the success of the team and I think that this is a quality that the people in charge and my team-mates really appreciate in me and which of course contributes to the fact that I am rarely substituted or, as is the case this season, never substituted or sit on the bench.

The important home game against Rapid Vienna is on the program on Sunday. It’s the last game before the league is divided. With a draw, Klagenfurt would finish the season safely in the top six and play for the international places in the “Championship Round”. What prevails before the game: anticipation or tension?

It’s the classic mix of both. I think a certain amount of tension is normal in this constellation and also underlines the importance of the game, but on the other hand, anticipation should always come first in soccer. I’m very excited about the outcome of the match and of course hope that we have reason to celebrate after the game.

You’ve been under contract in Klagenfurt since 2021 and have already played 66 first division games in this period. Your contract expires at the end of the season. Is there any indication as to whether you will extend your contract or look for a new challenge after all?

No, there is no indication at the moment. It’s no secret that I feel very comfortable in Klagenfurt and that Austria is of course my first port of call. However, in soccer you sometimes have to weigh up which step is the right one for you personally and whether further cooperation is beneficial for both sides. We will face these questions in the coming days and weeks and then come to a decision. It is also no secret and not reprehensible that I have a certain interest in gaining other experience in professional soccer. So everything is open and I’ll listen to everything

As a German, I naturally have the goal of one day playing in a German professional league again. When and whether this will happen, however, is not yet foreseeable. I do think that I would help many clubs in German soccer with the way I play soccer and my virtues, but at the end of the day there are so many factors. That’s why a return is not foreseeable at the moment, but definitely conceivable.

Till Schumacher

If you were to leave the club: Would a return to Germany be conceivable and appealing?

That’s obviously very speculative at this point, but of course Germany is an option and also an attractive option. As a German, I naturally have the goal of one day playing in a German professional league again. When and whether this will happen, however, is not yet foreseeable. I do think that I would help many clubs in German soccer with the way I play soccer and my virtues, but at the end of the day there are so many factors. That’s why a return is not foreseeable at the moment, but definitely conceivable. At the end of the day, two sides always have to fit together.

You were born in Essen and played for RWE for eight years as a youth player before moving to BVB in 2013. You became U19 champion there and even signed a professional contract. To what extent do you still follow the development of your two former clubs?

As far as possible, I’m always informed about both clubs and read everything there is to read in the media. So I would say that I keep a very close eye on developments. For me as an Essen resident, it is of course particularly nice to see how positively the club is currently developing and I hope that this development will continue for a long time to come