Mateu Morey: What does the future hold for the Borussia Dortmund right back?

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DORTMUND, GERMANY – JULY 30: (L-R) Gueray Vural of Antalyaspor and Mateu Morey Bauza of Dortmund go up for a header during the pre-season friendly match between Borussia Dortmund and Antalyaspor at Training Ground Hohenbuschei on July 30, 2022 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images) /

Morey’s viability as a defensive option for Dortmund:

As we’ve already mentioned briefly, Mateu Morey has had sporadic chances to show his skills and what he could offer as a Dortmund player if developed properly. Under Edin Terzić in his first stint at the helm of the club, Morey became an impressive part of the squad in the second half of the season that helped the club in their run-up to DFB Pokal victory. Unfortunately, the player suffered injuries to his lateral collateral, capsular and anterior cruciate ligaments in the DFB-Pokal semi-final against Holstein Kiel in May of 2021, which sidelined him for the entirety of the following season.

Following this lengthy setback, there was no end in sight for Morey in terms of his injury struggles. In August of last year Morey was forced to undergo knee surgery that once again kept him out for the entirety of last season. These injuries, coupled with his lengthy injury history while still with Barcelona, has meant that Morey has spent far more time injured than actually playing and developing in his position.

It is these lengthy layoffs and little time on the pitch that make Morey a questionable option for Dortmund at right back in the long term. Morey is now 23, and age at which some of the most talented players in the world, regardless of position, have been playing first team football regularly for years. The years that Morey has been unable to do this have certainly stunted his development and blunted his potential, which makes it clear that on his own he can’t be the player that Dortmund relies on in this position, at least for now.

On the flip side, for Morey, it will do no good to simply sit on the bench and fight for minutes in a Dortmund side that will (hopefully) still look to sign a starting-calibre right back before the start of next season, a position which is in dire need of filling due to Dortmund’s current options. It will be important for the player to get minutes on the pitch to reacclimatize to the professional game. His return could not be more timely with Dortmund recently starting their pre-season preparations.