2 goals against Wolfsburg disallowed
FC Schalke 04 has made it the third clean sheet in a row in the Bundesliga. Despite another strong fight, the bottom of the table couldn’t get past a 0-0 draw against VfL Wolfsburg on Friday. In terms of goals scored, including the 20th matchday, Schalke even undercut their own low from the last relegation season. Only seven teams in league history had an even weaker goal tally at the time.
Coach Thomas Reis’ team, which was newly recruited in the winter, even scored goals this time. Goals from Alex Král (50th minute) and Michael Frey (76th) were disallowed for offside. The gap to the relegation place at the weekend threatens to increase to seven points.
The zero number was also a disappointment for Wolfsburg. In terms of play and fighting, it was a really bad performance by the seventh in the table, who can hardly be considered a candidate for the European Cup. Captain Maximilian Arnold also missed a penalty early (9th). After three competitive defeats recently, it was the fourth winless game in a row for coach Niko Kovac’s team. The VW club was able to thank goalkeeper Koen Casteels on Friday that it was not the fourth defeat in a row.
0.7 goals per game: Only 7 Bundesliga teams are less dangerous after matchday 20
Compared to the last Bundesliga season of the Royal Blues, which led to relegation, the S04 have conceded fewer goals so far, but that doesn’t help if the bell doesn’t ring at the front. Schalke is now even weaker here than in 2020/21. Just 14 goals after 20 games means 0.7 goals per game, the eighth worst figure in league history. Tasmania Berlin reached its lowest value in the 65/66 season with nine goals after the 20th round.
The game was made by the bottom of the table, who had improved again and had previously played 0-0 against 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach. With the returnee Rodrigo Zalazar and Frey on loan for the winter, Schalke, who were whipped forward by 60,836 loud fans, made at least a little alarm this time offensively. Defensively, the Reis team was safe again anyway. This was also due to the weak opponents from Wolfsburg, who played similarly uninspired as the previous Schalke opponents Mönchengladbach.
With the help of the video referee, the Lower Saxony almost unexpectedly took the lead early on. After almost ten minutes, after studying the video images on the sidelines, Benjamin Brand suddenly awarded VfL a penalty for no apparent reason. Only the TV pictures showed what was hidden from the spectators in the stadium: Moritz Jenz stepped on the foot of Wolfsburg’s Patrick Wimmer at the edge of the penalty area.
However, VfL captain Arnold put the penalty on the left post, so that the new Schalke number one, Ralf Fährmann, remained without a goal in the third game after his return between the posts of the Royal Blues.
In the second round, Schalke remained committed, poisonous and strong, but also unlucky. Král and Frey’s goals were celebrated like salvation before the referee team intervened. Far too little came from Wolfsburg to put pressure on the European Cup places again.
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