After another fall to a direct relegation zone, FC Schalke 04 has its back to the wall in the Bundesliga. Knappen legend Olaf Thon still believes in a royal blue miracle before the decisive away game at Bayern-Schreck RB Leipzig.
“It’s clear that we’re blatant outsiders. But we’ve been like that in a few other games. As the saying goes: those who are declared dead live longer,” said the 57-year-old defiantly in an interview with the “Leipziger Volkszeitung”.
Only one point separates the team of coach Thomas Reis from relegation place 16, where VfL Bochum is, and from place 15, which VfB Stuttgart currently holds thanks to the better goal difference.
“The prospects of staying up in the league aren’t exactly great, center forward Simon Terodde and defender Moritz Jenz are suspended. But we’re not giving up, we believe in our chance. It was always like that at Schalke, and it will always be like that,” emphasized Thon predicts a 2-2 draw against Leipzig: “And then we’ll see what we get for it.”
Olaf Thon: FC Schalke 04 “played really good football”
Thon is proud that his Schalke team even managed to catch up in the back series. At the end of January, the Gelsenkircheners were still at the bottom of the league.
“Peter Knäbel and Thomas Reis turned the right screws in the winter. New signings like Moritz Jenz and Michael Frey hit the ground running, the team found each other in the second half of the season, defended well and played really good football in Mainz, for example,” praised the former national player.
Thon was also impressed by the team’s comeback qualities. “The mentality of the lads is fantastic, Thomas Reis, who I respect very much, has made a big difference,” enthused the S04 veteran.