The attacker has been plagued by injuries, but he has the chance to bring the curtain down on his BVB career by lifting the European Cup
Marco Reus freely admits there were times when he previously thought about leaving Borussia Dortmund. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool – nearly all of Europe’s elite were interested in signing him at one point or another.
“But, in the end,” Reus explained, “I always chose my club.” Why? Because Dortmund was his “home” and the team felt like his “family”. “I belong here,” he said.
There were those that questioned his ambition, but Reus remained steadfast in his belief that he could realise his dreams in Dortmund. “I really want to win the Bundesliga with this club,” he confessed in 2019. “I want to be in the Champions League final again.”
Sadly, his hopes of finally winning a German title were dashed in heart-breaking circumstances last year, with Dortmund suffering a devastating final-day collapse. However, as Reus prepares to bid farewell to his beloved BVB, the Champions League dream is, incredibly, still alive.
On Saturday, Dortmund return to Wembley, scene of their last final appearance 11 years ago, to face the biggest club in the world, in the biggest game in club football.
Reus is unlikely to start against Real Madrid. Truth be told, there’s no guarantee of game time at all. But the mere prospect of him being involved in a Champions League final, at the age of 35, and after more injuries than most players could bear, is well worth celebrating.