Last July, Prost Amerika Bundesliga correspondent Christian Grieb launched into a tirade on soccerly.com at online report that Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus would sign for Manchester United.
Other clubs including Real Madrid,Barcelona, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, as well as Bayern Munich were mentioned in the media frenzy. Grieb was unconvinced.
“Many major media outlets ran a story that Reus has rejected a contract extension with Dortmund. In actuality, the original article from BILD in Germany said nothing about a contract extension at all. The article was mistranslated, and thus we have the hysteria of Reus potentially being available this summer.”
He concluded:
“Reus will be in Dortmund, whether fans of other top clubs in Europe want to think differently or not.”
This morning the German and world press are reporting that Reus has re-signed for his home town club, not just for this year, but until 2019.
The BBC reported:
“The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Arsenal.
“We never let ourselves be influenced by all the rumours,” said Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.
“I am very happy with my decision for Borussia Dortmund,” said Reus. “Dortmund is my hometown and Borussia is simply my club.”
Dortmund are currently fighting off relegation after a disastrous start to the season.
However last weekend, Reus scored in the 9th minute to open the scoring for his side at the Dreisamstadion in Freiburg. They went on to win 3-0 and leapfrog the Baden-Württemberg side, but still lie 3rd bottom and inside the drop zone.
It was only the second away win of the domestic season for Dortmund and lifted them off equal rock bottom (joint with Hertha Berlin who also had a rare weekend road win), in the away games only league table.
Grieb himself, though happy to point out that ‘he told us all so’, was less satisfied at being proven right than noting how Reus’ colleagues had reacted:
“It should be a huge moral boost for the team, especially with another important game in the relegation battle on Friday against Mainz. Players are already posting on social media that they are happy Marco is sticking around. Seems the hometown hero will be around awhile longer, much to the joy of Dortmund fans.”
Dortmund now host off form Mainz the side who lost at home to Hertha, the other side accompanying Dortmund in last place on the away games table.
Dortmund would need to win that by three goals again to be sure of completely exiting the drop zone, even if 14th place Hertha and 15th place Paderborn also win.
Despite their struggles, Dortmund remain in the Champions League where they visit Juventus on February 24 in the last 16.
The fixture is of course a rematch of the most famous night in Dortmund history where they won the Champions League (then called the European Cup) defeating overwhelming favorites Juve by 3-1 at the Olympiastadion in Munich.
Before that visit to Italy, they have to play Mainz at home and VFB Stuttgart away. Both sides are also locked in the relegation battle.
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