As of: December 19, 2025 1:46 p.m
Eintracht Braunschweig welcomes the league leaders at the end of the second division: Coach Heiner Backhaus approaches the home game against FC Schalke 04 with a lot of self-confidence.
With seven points from the last three games, the “Lions” have recently gotten rid of their biggest relegation worries. And Backhaus is therefore quite confident before the duel with the front runner on Sunday (1.30 p.m./at the NDR Livecenter).
Backhaus: “We’re really keen”
“Basically, we have to play a perfect game to beat them. It will take a performance from us that is more than perfect,” said the football teacher on the one hand. On the other hand: “We’re all ready for such an achievement. We’re really up for it.”
Offense wins games, defense wins championships
Schalke were relegated back to the second division in 2021 after 30 years. Once they managed to repair the industrial accident immediately. But the newcomer was immediately relegated – and ultimately experienced two very dark years in terms of self-image, finishing tenth and 14th.
However, Backhaus is not at all surprised that the “Knappen” have risen to the top of the league again this season. The current S04 team reflects exactly the DNA of the club and appears aggressive, compact and as a cohesive unit.
With 21:8 goals after 16 games, they have so far acted in the spirit of club icon Huub Stevens: The offense wins games, but the defense decides who becomes champion in the end.
Schalke punishes mistakes coldly
The “Lions” (18:28 goals) will almost certainly have nothing to do with this question this season. Backhaus, who can rely on Kevin Ehlers again (perhaps even a candidate for the starting eleven), is happy that his team doesn’t have to play the game against Schalke at home either.
The “Lions” will wait for their chances to switch quickly. Knowing that the opponent is usually likely to coldly punish any bad passes in the build-up game. A “holistic service” is therefore needed. But recent performances have significantly boosted her confidence. The league leader can come.
Will Braunschweig crack the 20-point mark?
And if the third home win of the season really works, an almost historic interim result would be under the Christmas tree: Eintracht would then have collected 20 points and thus played the best second division first half of the season in eight years. The fact that Lower Saxony was relegated to the third division at the end of the 2017/2018 season was a gift.
Possible lineups:
Braunschweig: Hoffmann – Ehlers, Nkoa, Frenkert – Gomez, Aydin, Marie, Bell Bell – Heußer – Yardimci, Conteh
Schalke: Karius – Ayhan, Katic, Kurucay – Wallentowitz, El-Faouzi, Schallenberg, V. Becker – Antwi-Adjei, Karaman – Sylla