After the first half of the season with only nine points, FC Schalke 04 was considered relegated by many fans. After the 2: 4 at RB Leipzig on the last matchday, the Royal Blues actually have to go back to the 2nd Bundesliga. Team manager Gerald Asamoah wavered between sadness and pride. S04 coach Thomas Reis spoke of a “reflection of the season”.
Out – but with applause: This is how the fifth relegation of FC Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga after 1981, 1983, 1988 and 2021 should feel. Because unlike two years ago, when relegation had been apparent for a long time, the Royal Blues came back strongly in the second half of the season. After the 31st matchday, S04 were even back on the saving 15th place.
The strong back series with 22 points ensured that the Schalke fans were fully behind the team again. It was no different after the final whistle in Leipzig.
“It’s a strange feeling to know that you’ve been relegated, but are still being celebrated,” quoted the “WAZ” team manager Gerald Asamoah: “You don’t even know how to deal with it.”
“Fans will give us energy”
The “unity of team and fans” made the ex-national player proud: “That’s the only way we’ve made it this far. The fans cheered us on to bring us the victories. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to get here again . In the stands, the fans noticed that the boys gave their all.”
Then Asamoah added: “The fact that we still had the chance to stay in after this first half of the season is a reason to say that we can be proud of the lads.”
The former crowd favorite was already looking ahead to the coming season. “We’ll try everything, the fans will travel with us everywhere and give us energy,” Asamoah emphasized. “I know that we’ll get a strong team together and can manage to get back up.”
Schalke coach Reis: “Didn’t seal relegation today”
Schalke coach Thomas Reis, on the other hand, was still sad. “Today isn’t such a nice day. Logically, Leipzig made life very difficult for us, they were very grippy right from the start. You’re 2-0 down and then I can’t blame my team anymore,” said the 49- year-old, who took office in Gelsenkirchen at the end of October, at the press conference after the game.
For the second half of the season, S04 “unfortunately couldn’t buy anything,” Reis continued: “But the way we came back today with the mentality and the belief that we might still be able to achieve something impossible, that’s what we have I definitely saw it. The game was a reflection of the season, we didn’t seal relegation today.”
Asamoah still has to deal with the grief over the relegation. “We have to collect ourselves,” said the 44-year-old, who saw no reason for a change of coach: “We have a coach who we think a lot of. We assume that we can also achieve the mission of promotion. Even if it’s not will be easy.”