'Extremely sloppy' Borussia Dortmund torn to shreds by Nico Schlotterbeck after Champions League collapse as defender says Niko Kovac's substitutes 'lost every ball'

The atmosphere at the Westfalenstadion turned toxic on Wednesday evening as Dortmund twice surrendered the lead to draw 2-2 with the Norwegian side. What should have been a routine victory to cement their place among the European elite descended into chaos in the closing stages, prompting a furious post-match interview from Schlotterbeck.

The centre-back, who had been one of the few standout performers in a black and yellow shirt, did not hold back in his assessment of the team's mental fragility. Speaking to DAZN immediately after the final whistle, a visibly agitated Schlotterbeck pinpointed the exact moment the game began to drift away from the hosts.

Dortmund had taken the lead and appeared to be in control through Julian Brandt after 18 minutes, but the visitors pulled level just before half-time. Brandt struck again early in the second period, only for the away side to strike again with 15 minutes left. According to Schlotterbeck, complacency set in rapidly as he criticised the team's attitude after going 1-0 up, suggesting that individual egos took precedence over the collective game plan demanded by manager Kovac.

"After the 1-0, we started playing extremely sloppy and having incredibly bad first touches," Schlotterbeck said. "Everyone plays their own game a little bit. It is not bitter, it is actually really bad."

With the game in the balance, Kovac turned to his bench to inject fresh energy and secure the three points, with Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy coming on while they were 2-1 up, while Emre Can and Julian Ryerson were introduced immediately after the away team's second equaliser. However, Schlotterbeck felt the replacements had the opposite effect, offering a damning verdict on their contribution.

"The players who come on lose every ball," he stated bluntly. "If you come on in the 60th minute, I expect 30 minutes of full steam. We combined a bit right and left, chipping in front of the goalkeeper and wanting to make it look nice, but you have to kill the game and we didn't do that."

Schlotterbeck also questioned the work rate and focus of the squad during the final stages of the match.

"We play in the Champions League and that is way too little," he added.

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

The draw impacts Dortmund's standing in the Champions League table. Finishing in the top eight is required to avoid a two-legged playoff round in February. A win would have taken Dortmund to 13 points, a tally that would have strengthened their position for automatic qualification.

Schlotterbeck expressed concern that some of his team-mates did not understand the importance of the result.

"We could have gone to 13 points here and I think some people didn't realise how important that is," he explained. "Because now you have to win both remaining games, otherwise you won't be in the top eight.

"After the 2-2 we didn't have any more chances to score, we played unbelievably unclean in the last quarter of an hour. In the last five minutes Bodø had more possession and that cannot be our standard."

Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl also spoke after the match and supported Schlotterbeck’s right to be critical.

"Every player has the right to strike a critical tone after the game," Kehl said. "If they then put their finger in the wound and are hard on themselves, then that is good. We will definitely do that. The coach has already done that."

Kehl reiterated the missed opportunity regarding the league table.

"The boys have to be aware of what chance we wasted here today," Kehl added. "We absolutely wanted to win this game. We had a great chance to get to 13 points in the table. Everyone who could read the table knew what opportunity was on offer today. That's why the frustration is right. We are all very disappointed and angry."