WITHHe has never played in the Bundesliga before, but the former national player Shkodran Mustafi at FC Schalke 04 should become a key figure in the extremely difficult mission to stay in the class. The experience of the world champion in 2014 “is doing us tremendously well in the current situation,” said Schalke coach Christian Gross on Tuesday. With his lightning debut on Wednesday in the DFB-Pokal game at VfL Wolfsburg (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the DFB-Pokal, on Sport1 and Sky), the 28-year-old defender cannot help because the professional who came from Arsenal is located initially in quarantine.
Therefore, the Swiss big (66) has to rebuild the defense for the game in Wolfsburg, as Schalke is sparsely occupied there in the course of a spectacular player swap. The bottom of the table had lent Turkish international Ozan Kabak to English champions FC Liverpool with coach Jürgen Klopp parallel to the Mustafi deal on Monday – and the new defender, at least in the cup, cannot yet close the gap of the regular player. Benjamin Stambouli would be an option for the vacant central defender position, the coach announced.
The badly battered Revierklub did not want to give away the round of 16 game against the third place in the league, the coach assured. “It’s about a lot. So there is no reluctance. ”The Royal Blues’ main goal remains to remain in the class – despite only eight points from 19 games and a gap of nine points to the saving bank. The role Mustafi can play, who was not a regular at Arsenal recently, remains to be seen.
Huub Stevens gave an assessment in an interview with Sport1: “He has experience and is a leader on the pitch. I just hope very hard that he will find his rhythm again to be important on the lawn. Then Mustafi is an absolute win, “said the 67-year-old, who coached Schalke twice on a long-term basis and stepped in as an interim coach twice in 2019 and 2020 and is retiring from the Schalke Supervisory Board at the end of the season after three years in office. The former Schalke and national goalkeeper Jens Lehmann also called Mustafi a “leader”. “I think he can help immediately,” said Lehmann at Sky.
Mustafi, who has only played for foreign clubs as a professional, said in an interview published on the club’s website that the team could benefit from his experience. She helps him “to stay calm in pressure situations, to keep track of things and also to take on a leadership role on the pitch”. He also wants to take responsibility and lead off the field.
According to coach Gross, there is hope that the defender will be ready for the home game against RB Leipzig on Saturday. If so, Mustafi can count on a place in the starting XI. “He’s fit,” said Gross. The exact quarantine requirements were not initially determined on Tuesday.
The exchange of players also has an important economic facet for the clammy Schalke. According to media reports, the Bundesliga club could expect income of around 30 million euros for the Kabak loan with an alleged purchase option. In addition, Mustafi does not burden the Royal Blues’ budget too much: According to the media, the transfer was possible because the 28-year-old previously terminated his contract in London and therefore does not cost a transfer. And his contract only runs until the summer.
Then it will be clear whether the quite well-known winter purchases of the Schalke bosses are enough to prevent the crash from league one. In addition to Mustafi, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal FC) and William (VfL Wolfsburg) were recently brought to the Ruhr area as rescuers. Mustafi, the newest bearer of hope, spoke up on Tuesday via a nine-second video from the quarantine. In the end he resolutely clenched his fist and gave the Schalke group a first “Glück auf”.
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