The situation at FC Schalke 04 could hardly be more tense before the home game against leaders FC St. Pauli. In addition to the relegation battle, there is a risk of traffic chaos in Gelsenkirchen on Friday.
According to reports, an intensive internal team discussion at the beginning of the week should help to save the Reviercub, which is floundering in the 2nd Bundesliga, from relegation to the 3rd league.
“It was important that the players spoke about their emotions and thoughts. Everyone should tell the truth to their faces,” said Karel Geraerts. The Schalke coach spoke of an important meeting: “I think the players found answers. But we’ll see what it achieved on the pitch on Friday.”
Terodde: “Brutal situation”
Schalke urgently needs to find these answers. If the fourteenth place in the table, which is only four points away from a direct relegation zone, does not show a positive reaction to the out of the question performance in Magdeburg (0:3), the patience of the most loyal fans will probably be exhausted. “It’s always the same scenario that we have pressure in home games. Now we’re playing against the best team in the league and we know the situation,” said Geraerts.
The day before, Simon Terodde had expressed how seriously Schalke viewed their sporting situation: “Staying in the league with Schalke is more important than promotion.” The 35-year-old veteran spoke of a “brutal situation” and added: “Everyone imagined it differently. Everyone got their chance on the pitch but didn’t take it. Every player has to question themselves – me too.”
Höwedes appeals to everyone involved
Ex-Schalke player Benedikt Höwedes is also worried about his heart club, which is threatened with relegation Schalke 04. “We all have to sound the alarm bells,” said the Royal Blues’ honorary captain on Tuesday. It is “important that we hold onto the second division this year and then of course continually take steps forward in order to end up in the first division again at some point,” said Höwedes, who captained S04 from 2011 to 2017 pitch: “Because this club belongs in the first league!”
You can now “talk as much as you like, but it has to be lived by every single person who is somehow involved here,” said the 35-year-old.
Geraerts is missing Mohr and Ouédraogo
With the exception of the sick midfielder Tobias Mohr and Leo Greiml, all of Geraerts’ professionals were available for training this week. The 17-year-old talent Assan Ouédraogo is not yet an option. “He’s making progress, but Friday’s game is still too early for him,” said the Belgian football teacher.
Everyone needs to pull together on and off the pitch. “At this moment I need the whole team,” emphasized Geraerts. “Whether you play or not, I want you to use all your energy to help the team. If we don’t do that together, it will be difficult.”
It will also be difficult because of the quality of the upcoming opponent. For Geraerts, due to the overall situation, St. Pauli is currently “the best opponent we can face because it is the biggest common challenge we can have.”
Traffic chaos threatens due to warning strike
Due to an announced warning strike by the Verdi NRW union, there is a risk of major traffic problems around the game. Local buses and trams will be at a standstill. To prevent chaos, have the police Gelsenkirchen and FC Schalke called on more than 60,000 spectators to help. The association recommends, among other things, carpooling or traveling by bike.
Additional parking spaces should be made available. In addition, parts of the stadium open three hours before kick-off. The guest fans who arrive at Gelsenkirchen main station by train are transported in private buses.
“Of course it’s unfortunate for a football game like this. We always encourage people to come by public transport and not by car because that relieves the burden,” said Schalke CEO Matthias Tillmann on Tuesday: “It’s an enormous logistical problem “If there are no trains running.”
However, rescheduling the game does not play a role in the considerations of those responsible. At the request of the German Press Agency, the DFL announced that the game would take place as planned – probably primarily because of the TV contracts.
Good memories of St. Pauli
Two years ago the omens for this duel were different. In May 2022, Schalke secured the much-celebrated promotion to the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win against Hamburg. Now S04 needs such a sense of success again, albeit for different reasons.
