Only 14. In the final table
“Already embarrassing”: S04 captain holds fire speech
18.05.2025 – 10:35 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Schalke ended the season in 14th place and the fans mock the team. The captain then goes to court with this hard.
“It hurts, it gets under your skin when the fans turn away in their own stadium. This is embarrassing as a player,” said Karaman visibly depressed. The mood in the arena tipped early, the first sarcastic chants echoed through the stadium during the second half. Some supporters celebrated ironically with a La Ola. In the end, Schalke not only had the fifth defeat from the last six games, but also 14th place – the worst placement in the long club history.
Karaman emphasized how deep the disappointment is: “We will probably take this pain with us in the next few weeks. It will hurt.” It is now clear to him that everyone had to assume. “You can’t point your finger on the other now. You have to look at yourself in the mirror,” said the captain. And further: “If I’m still here next year, I tear my ass, then I try that the club is better, then I try to win the fans again.”
Karaman also called for a clear rethink: “We need players who identify more with the club again next year, have a goal and speak the same language.”
Youri Mulder, director of professional football at the royal blue, commented on Sky similarly critically. Although he wants continuity in the coaching position, this is currently secondary: “Here are dissatisfied people who are rightly whistling who are right to hang up posters and start sarcastic chants. This is not Schalke’s claim.” In recent years, the club has made “far too many mistakes”. Anyone who has taken responsibility must take your own nose.