Schalke trainer amazes with a statement about Katić-Blackout

Played despite the concussion?

Schalke trainer amazes with a statement about his own player

At the start of the season of the “Königsblauen” against Hertha BSC, Nikola Katić almost became a tragic hero. S04 coach Miron Muslić delivers an unusual explanation after the game-for a curious scene.

2: 1 at the start of the season of the 2nd Bundesliga against Hertha BSC, the game dominates, at least for one night in first place: For FC Schalke 04, the start of the season 2025/26 on Friday evening was almost made to measure.

Only one excited about the success of the Berliner in an unusual way: S04 newcomer Nikola Katić. The 28-year-old defender scored in the 23rd minute for the meantime 2-0-but later became a tragic hero. After a completely unnecessary handball in the turbulent final phase, he had to get off the square, Schalke had to outnumber the last minutes.

After the game, the new Schalke coach Miron Muslić had a special explanation for the blackout of his player: “I think he didn’t know what he was doing,” said the 42-year-old at Sky. “The doctor had clearly reported: You won’t come in again, it is certainly a concussion.”

But what exactly happened?

The fifth minute of stoppage time in the Veltins Arena: Katić goes to the ball with his head in his own half, but team -mate Mertcan Ayhan – but notices the defender too late and hits his foot on the head. The game is then interrupted, Katić has to be treated on the lawn for a good two minutes, he has suffered a bleeding wound on the head.

But: Katić wants to continue playing, has to leave the field first, then runs back into the game on the lawn – and in the next scene goes completely unnecessarily with his hand to the ball: he strikes a high pass on Hertha Fabian Reese like a volleyball player. Referee Richard Hempel has no other choice: he sends Katić off the pitch with yellow-red.

“Nikola is an old warrior,” said Muslić after the game and paid tribute to his defense chief. With a little gallows humor, he added: “I think he literally lost his head.” It is still unclear whether Katić actually suffered a concussion, and FC Schalke has no further information on Friday evening.

However, the suspicion is confirmed that unpleasant questions should come to the Gelsenkirchener – because a concussion must not be continued. In the rules of the German Football League (DFL) it says for such cases: “A player who has suffered a head injury who requires an investigation into a possible concussion if the team doctor expressly confirms that the referee is expressly confirmed that the player is able to do so. This means that there is no clinical information about a showering.”