“The lawn belongs to the players”
©IMAGO
On Saturday evening (8:30 p.m.) FC Schalke can return to the Bundesliga after three years of absence. In the top game of the 2nd league against Fortuna Düsseldorf, the leader has the first match point. Before the game, coach Miron Muslic appealed to the fans. “We need your support, your support. But we also need your discipline,” said the 43-year-old. “The field and the lawn belong to the players. We want to celebrate with you after the game.”
Muslic added: “We will do everything we can to achieve this as a team. But we also need your support. Storming the pitch is an absolute no-go.” He firmly assumes that all Schalke players will stick to it. The coach, who was wearing a T-shirt that he said he received as a Christmas present from the Gelsenkirchen Ultras, also thanked him for the support throughout the season so far.
The fact that fans should not come into the interior is due, among other things, to the construction of the Gelsenkirchen Arena. In order to get from the stands to the pitch, supporters would have to overcome a height difference of almost four meters in some places – the risk of injury is high. When Schalke was promoted to the Bundesliga in 2022 after a spectacular 3-2 win against FC St. Pauli, there were several injuries during the celebrations. “This storm could have ended in a catastrophe,” said Chief Police Director Peter Both at the time.
A storm could also be expensive for Schalke, who are heavily in debt. Among other things, there is a risk that valuable technology will be damaged and the lawn will be so damaged that it will have to be replaced. On the last match day, the Royal Blues have to face Eintracht Braunschweig, who are in the middle of a relegation battle, in their home arena.
Dzeko returns for Schalke match point
Schalke currently has a seven-point lead at the top of the table over Hannover 96, who are in the relegation zone. With a win on Saturday against Fortuna Düsseldorf, promotion would be perfect. “We know that we can only take the final step if we build on the performance of the last few weeks,” said Muslic. The coach, who took over Schalke last summer, can again rely on his star striker Edin Dzeko, who recently suffered a shoulder injury. “Edin was on the pitch with the team today and took part in everything. He will return to the squad. If we need him, he will be there,” said Muslic. “He wants to attack again and help.” With six goals and three assists in eight appearances, the Bosnian played a key role in Schalke’s strong second half of the season.