There would be no more chasing races between vengeful radical fans and Schalke licensed players around the stadium ring, that was already clear before the final chapter of the round of points was opened. Two years ago, on the evening of the 2-1 draw at Arminia Bielefeld, which sealed relegation from the first division, the footballers were welcomed by supporters after returning home from East Westphalia, who had not gathered for a comforting welcome. Even the actually untouchable old Schalke players Mike Büskens and Gerald Asamoah felt the aimless anger. Others, led by Mark Uth, had to run to escape the hunters.
This time, too, the Schalke players didn’t know what happened to them after the final appearance before being relegated again when they faced the fans. Instead of anger and disappointment, they received recognition and pride. The fans symbolically hugged their deeply sad players, the frustration about the relegation was postponed until later.
This Schalke team may not have a future because most of the professionals will leave the club, but with their good spirit and a rousing race to catch up in the relegation battle, they have earned an honorable place in the club’s memory. “It hurts, but you’re still very, very proud of what the team did in the second half of the season,” said Asamoah, team manager and voice of the Schalke soul. No tears flowed down his cheeks like back then in Bielefeld or last year during the wild ride to the top. This descent presents itself more as a silent drama than as a typical Schalke tragedy.
Schalke manages to catch up again against Leipzig – as always in the second half of the season
The 2: 4 at RB Leipzig had again left a typical picture of the makeshift constructed team in two contrasting transfer periods. In a game in which she had already been committed to a miracle, she abruptly fell 0:2 behind and had contributed to this with selectively insufficient defensive behavior. What else should happen? The dream of triumphing as an outsider – dreamed of after 19 minutes of play.
But Schalke learned in the second half of the season to grow from behind. Defender Kaminski, not known for scoring, made the connection before the break; Drexler and Bülter forced Orban’s clumsy own goal in a duet, which equalized immediately after the change. Schalke started with man and mouse to attack the winning goal – until the inevitable counterattacks from Leipzig and goals from Poulsen and Nkunku ended the hop-or-top adventure. 16th place came within sight – but not within reach. Ralf Fährmann, who came back in goal at the last second instead of Alexander Schwolow, cried bitter tears, and the 35-year-old former Schalke player was not the only one in a team that had given everything and still lost everything.
The club achieved one goal for the season in the second half of the season, even though it was of course never stated. Schalke 04 are relegated with dignity thanks to their not only immaculately tried, but suddenly also athletically armed team. It’s only the B grade, but considering the moral collapse two years ago, it’s not an unimportant rating. The team collected 22 points in the second half of the season, the record for a club in secure midfield.
However, the legacy of the first half of the season, after which you were lonely at the bottom of the table with nine points, puts a spoke in the wheel of the nice calculation. As the successor to the hapless Frank Kramer, coach Thomas Reis had formed a side that could rival almost any opponent, but he came too late to crown his sporting reforms.
Unlike 2021, this time it is an orderly descent
Schalke can save themselves coming to terms with the past. The trainer stays, there is no need for a big cleanup. Head of sport Rouven Schröder, whose personnel decisions made a significant contribution to the disaster, has long been with RB Leipzig. This relegation may also be a painful experience for him, but he will not be able to deny the feeling of responsibility for the fifth relegation in Schalke’s club history.
In the summer of 2021, Schröder worked day and night to clear out the much too expensive relegation squad and also put a new team on top of the heavily indebted club. This time, the expert council led by sports director Peter Knäbel on Ernst-Kuzorra-Weg will not have to commit an act of violence. The license is not in danger, it is an orderly descent, the cornerstones of the budget are not only defined, but also secured by liquidity. The debt and the negative equity nevertheless limit the freedom of movement.
From a sporting point of view, the resolution to be back on the doorstep of the first league next summer is still an ambitious undertaking. The most reliable players in the second half of the season will not go on the trips to Elversberg and Paderborn: Krauss on loan has to go back to Leipzig; Loan Jenz returns to France and loan van den Berg to Liverpool; Czech midfield leader Král is moving on to Union Berlin, striker Terodde has already announced their separation, and Japanese Yoshida is also saying goodbye. The list of losses is far from complete. The whereabouts of Bülter, the best shooter and that of playmaker Zalazar is not secured despite ongoing contracts, offers are tempting on the transfer market.
Many Schalke fans are now mourning not only the lost place in the Bundesliga, but also a team they have grown fond of.
