Lennard Maloney: It was a great honour to play for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga

Lennard Maloney has said that it was a great honour to play for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, as he prepares for his return to the top flight with Heidenheim.

After defying the odds and winning the second division title last season, 1. FC Heidenheim are about to play in the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Lennard Maloney played an important role in their promotion bid after joining the club on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.

Maloney will get his second opportunity in the Bundesliga, having made his top flight debut with Borussia Dortmund two years ago. The United States centre-back was signed for BVB’s second team, but was given two brief appearances in the Bundesliga after making a solid impression on then-head coach Marco Rose.

In an interview with Kicker, Maloney spoke about his time at Borussia Dortmund and also looked ahead to the upcoming season with 1. FC Heidenheim.

"“Of course, it was a great honour to play for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Back then I wasn’t even supposed to be in the Bundesliga team, and you also have to be realistic when you look at the players BVB have, I was an U-23 player, so playing for the pros was an absolute bonus.”"

Lennard Maloney made a total of 34 appearances for 1. FC Heidenheim last season, and primarily featured in defensive midfield as they won promotion to the Bundesliga. The 23 year old will now look to pick up where he left off last season and play a key role in Heidenheim’s bid to avoid relegation in their first ever Bundesliga campaign.

"“It’s a completely different feeling when you’ve contributed a lot to a team getting promoted to the top league. There’s a lot more motivation and anticipation because you know you’ve played an active role in it.”"

Maloney’s long-term goal remains to play for the USMNT, and he will hope that playing in the Bundesliga will give him the opportunity to earn his maiden call-up.