48
16:35
Good approaches were already available on both sides, now only the goals are missing. The fact that both teams have scored in the last six Bundesliga games for the Werkself raises hopes that this situation will change soon.
46
16:34
Let’s continue in the Veltins Arena! Thomas Reis made a one-off substitution, bringing in Éder Balanta for Dominick Drexler. Xabi Alonso has yet to make any personnel changes.
46
16:34
Eder Balanta
FC Schalke 04
Substitution at FC Schalke 04: Éder Balanta
46
16:33
Dominick Drexler
FC Schalke 04
Substitution at FC Schalke 04: Dominick Drexler
46
16:33
Kick-off 2nd half
45+1
16:19
Mid-term conclusion:
FC Schalke 04 and Bayer Leverkusen are still tied 0-0 after the first round! This intense game actually deserved more than the double zero on the scoreboard. The Royal Blues showed a bold approach early on and immediately pushed forward without challenging Lukáš Hrádecký. The Werkself shifted up a gear after ten minutes and created the best chance of the game, which Amine Adli missed (11′). Afterwards, Ralf Fährmann increasingly came into focus, but Schalke fought against a deficit with fight and passion.
45+1
16:17
End of 1st half
45
16:16
Official stoppage time (minutes): 1
44
16:15
Both teams are currently missing the last punch to pose real problems for the opponent’s goalkeepers.
41
16:12
Schalke got through the Werkself’s urge phase and the game has calmed down in the meantime.
39
16:10
Exquiel Palacios
Bayer Leverkusen
Yellow card for Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Exequiel Palacios clears Dominick Drexler on the left touchline and is rightly warned.
38
16:09
Amine Adli gets in rather clumsily against Dominick Drexler and is called back for a foul in the left-hand position and about 25 meters away from the goal. Rodrigo Zalazar misses the target quite clearly with the following free kick.
37
16:06
Henning Matriciani has so far been the symbol of royal blue passion. Again and again, the 23-year-old throws himself into the duels and picks up the audience.
34
16:05
Amine Adli has a lot of freedom on the half-left and wants to wait for the moment for the cross pass to Jeremie Frimpong, but acts too hesitantly. So Leo Greiml fights back and jumps in between.
32
16:02
Almost the perfect relief attack: Marius Bülter picks up the pace immediately after a long ball in front. In dire need, Jonathan Tah’s long leg saves.
29
16:00
Schalke are currently being pinned to their own sixteen because Xabi Alonso’s team has significantly increased the number of strokes.
28
15:59
Leverkusen sniffs the lead! Florian Wirtz sends Amine Adli down, for whom the ball jumps a bit too far forward. In this way, Ralf Fährmann can cleverly shorten the angle and parry the chance. In the pursuit, Exequiel Palacios comes into play and has no luck with his long-range shot.
26
15:57
Next attempt by the Werkself: Moussa Diaby pulls from the second row following a short corner kick – the ball whizzes just past the right post.
25
15:55
Tom Krauss is sitting on the lawn and is being treated on his left ankle. However, the medical department quickly indicated that the midfielder could continue.
23
15:53
Leverkusen are still looking for solutions when it comes to build-up play, because the miners often press early and are constantly disruptive.
21
15:51
Robert Andrich tries again! First Jeremie Frimpong initiates the action and cannot be stopped by several Schalke players. The Dutchman serves Andrich at the sixteen limit, who again finds his master in Ralf Fährmann.
18
15:48
There is also a free kick for the Rhinelanders. Amine Adli places the ball on the right side of the sixteen and flicks the ball directly over Ralf Fährmann’s goal.
17
15:47
It goes back and forth, in a lively initial phase both teams give nothing. Now a rather harmless free kick from Rodrigo Zalazar from around 25 meters lands on Lukáš Hrádecký.
15
15:46
No problem for Ralf Fährmann: The 34-year-old picks up a long-range shot from Robert Andrich in the bottom left corner.
13.
15:44
It also remains dangerous on the other side! Odilon Kossounou half-heartedly gives up the ball at the edge of his own penalty area. Michael Frey quickly searches for a suitable position and is ultimately blocked by Jonathan Tah.
11.
15:43
brilliant act by Ralf Fährmann! Florian Wirtz and Moussa Diaby happily combine themselves forward on the right before the ball reaches Amine Adli at the penalty spot. The Frenchman closes against the running direction of Fährmann, but the goalkeeper is lightning fast down and prevents the impact in the right corner.
8th.
15:38
Rodrigo Zalazar takes the first corner kick in from the left. At the short pentagon, Piero Hincapié first clears with a head, but the guests can’t get the ball away. So Michael Frey has a chance to finish and shoots the thing far over it.
6.
15:36
As was to be expected, things get straight to the point, especially in midfield – some tough duels are fought.
5.
15:35
The Royal Blues collect a lot of ball possession in the early minutes. Leverkusen are waiting for transition situations to put the lightning-fast Moussa Diaby and Amine Adli in the limelight.
3.
15:33
Schalke bravely comes out of the cabin and looks for the way forward! Marius Bülter shakes off Odilon Kossounou on the left flank and storms in the direction of the baseline, but finds no takers with his subsequent cross.
1.
15:31
Let’s start in the Veltins Arena – the experienced referee Deniz Aytekin makes sure that the rules are followed!
15:21
Bayer coach Xabi Alonso demanded a high level of concentration, a strong performance and the necessary toughness in duels from his team. “Schalke are in good momentum. They have good energy in the team and above all they still have hope of staying up in the league. That’s why they fight with a lot of passion in every game,” said the Spaniard, adding: “When we play our best level , we will achieve a good result.”
15:08
Now the Royal Blues also want to trip up the Werkself and be the spoilsport. “You often hear that it’s not nice to play football against us. Of course we want to play attractively. But being attractive also means being brave, attacking the opponent early on, accepting duels,” explained S04 coach Thomas Reis at the press conference. Schalke must find a way to stop Leverkusen’s speed game.
14:53
Leverkusen are also currently riding an impressive wave of success. Xabi Alonso’s team has not suffered a defeat in seven competitive games. The Werkself have even won six of these seven matches, including the last five in a row. Just before the international break, Bayer celebrated a much-celebrated 2-1 win over FC Bayern Munich.
14:42
An unbelievable series keeps Schalke 04 alive. After the Royal Blues had already been relegated at the end of the first half of the season, Thomas Reis’ team came back in an incredible way and didn’t lose in the second half of the season. Only in the 1997/98 and 2005/06 seasons did the miners remain unbeaten in the first eight rounds of the second half of the season.
14:38
Hello and welcome to the 26th match day of the Bundesliga! Both FC Schalke 04 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen want to continue the upward trend of the past few weeks. Kick-off in the Veltins Arena is at 3:30 p.m.