FC Schalke 04 is on a crash course in many respects. With a win against Eintracht Braunschweig the trend could at least be slowed down. Otherwise, panic could spread.
The report from Thursday morning (February 1, 2024) should have at least brought some relief to the sympathizers of the badly hit Ruhr area club. “Brandon Soppy strengthens FC Schalke 04’s defense“, said the club. And the words were probably chosen. After all, sporting reinforcements are urgently needed at Berger Feld – especially in defense.
The young French right-back Sloppy (21) is coming from Torino FC on loan until the end of the season. The “Royal Blues” don’t have the money to buy something. But at least there is still hope for improvement – despite the great misery on almost all club fields.
Harsh reality has set in
A total of four goals in the goal difference still separate Schalke from the relegation place. The horror scenario of crashing into the 3rd league could actually become reality. The fight for survival has long since escalated. “It’s just about staying in class. Everything else doesn’t matter at all. That has already been clearly communicated to the team.”said midfielder Ron Schallenberg during the week.
The harsh reality has set in. Apparently now also among the players who have so far dealt with the negative experiences in a rather relaxed manner.
The total crash, in which Schalke would be dropped from the Bundesliga to the third division, must urgently be avoided for reasons of self-preservation. Because it is extremely questionable whether the club could survive this class change given the current debt level of around 165 million euros. Rather not.
Opposition forms
Not least for this reason, an opposition is forming in the background around the club, which wants to call on and persuade the people currently acting in the management levels – supervisory board chairman Axel Hefer and his committee as well as the new CEO Matthias Tillmann – to resign.
The most important reasons: the selection of personnel, the lack of experience of the people involved in the football business and the close proximity to the ultra groups. Former supervisory board chairman Clemens Tönnies will also be there. This is one of the reasons why the situation on the Schalke market is likely to become increasingly dire – there is a risk of explosion.
Mental aspect
The upcoming encounter against Eintracht Braunschweig is all the more important. It’s not just that Lower Saxony is the team of the moment in the second division with four wins in a row. Eintracht is also a direct competitor in the relegation battle with the same number of points as Schalke (20).
If coach Karel Geraerts’ team loses the third game in a row after the winter break, the worrying situation surrounding the Gelsenkirchen club is likely to change to something close to a panicked pattern of behavior.
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“The mental aspect is the most important for the game after two games without points. We need players who can withstand the pressure. I will choose them”said Geraerts. “But: the pressure is there. The players must not panic.”