At the end of a changeable season with a fall to eighth place at the beginning of December, the Bundesliga return is within reach for the current leader. It fits with the longing for a royal blue day of celebration that the party of the legendary “Eurofighters”, who will be there 25 years after their Uefa Cup triumph, will also be taking place this weekend. With all the anticipation of a reunion, Büskens, who was in the starting XI in the surprise win over Inter Milan in 1997, is more focused on today than yesterday: “I’m not planned into the processes. Don’t blame me for that I have no head.”
When he took office at the beginning of March as interim head coach and successor to Dimitrios Grammozis, the belief in immediate resurgence returned. Six wins in seven games also contributed to the fact that the critical distance between the fans and the pros turned into passionate support again. This fills Büskens with particular pride: “It means a lot to me. Everyone has worked hard to win back this trust. For me, that reflects the image I have gained from Schalke 04 over 29 years. This togetherness, this intense, this emotional.”
Good decisions made
Not only the sporting events, but also the separation from the long-standing main sponsor has contributed to this positive development according to the assessment of the 54-year-old football coach. “Those in charge made some good decisions this year. I think the completion of the Gazprom deal was very important for this club. It was the situation in which the club had to show their colors. He did that. There he did you’ve seen the response.”
A win over St. Pauli could help fan affection continue to grow. Regardless of the outcome of the game on Saturday, Büskens sees the traditional club well on the way back to its former glory: “For me, who also experienced last year with dark moments that I could never have imagined, it’s nice to see it again “That’s how I know Schalke. That’s what made Schalke what it was – and what it needs to be again.” He added with much pathos: “Not everyone has to like that. But those who love this emblem know what it means to be a part of the whole.”