10th matchday
Gelsenkirchen (dpa) – Five games left to the unloved record – and coach Manuel Baum was visibly pissed off: The football professionals of FC Schalke 04, who were beaten once again despite a courageous appearance, snuck away after the 26th Bundesliga game without a win in a row Space.
The 0: 3 (0: 1) against the new runners-up Bayer 04 Leverkusen was symptomatic of the bottom group – no goal, no luck, no points. With that, the Schalke players who are in the middle of the relegation battle are getting closer and closer to the negative record of Tasmania Berlin. The club from the capital had not won a total of 31 games in a row in the 1965/66 season.
A controversial own goal by Malick Thiaw (10th) initiated the defeat. Julian Baumgartlinger (67th) increased in the 67th minute to 2-0 for Leverkusen. Steven Skrzybski missed the possible following goal, who failed with a penalty kick to Lukas Hradecky in the 72nd minute. Patrik Schick (78th) made the decision 3-0.
Manuel Baum complained after the game about the mistakes his players made, which ruined all fighting. “Then we get two standard goals, on the third goal we lose the ball and we don’t put our things in ourselves – that’s exactly the tenor we have in the dressing room: We’re so mad at ourselves that we are at the moment simply not able to convert what we spend in terms of energy and performance into points, ”the coach ranted.
“It sucks for all of us, young or old. We’ve had the situation for a while now, “Thiaw said with harsh words. But giving up is out of the question for him. “Now we just have to be men and have balls. Now we have to score – now or never, ”added the Finn with a view to the upcoming games.
Before the game, Schalke Ultras had hung up some banners around the arena. The criticism was directed – unlike last time – not against the team, but against the board of directors around Alexander Jobst. One said: «9 years on the board means part of the problem instead of the solution. When will you finally draw personal conclusions? “
The unsuccessful Schalke team were not to be envied in the game against the proven, playful Leverkusen team. In addition to eight field players, the injured goalkeepers Frederik Rönnow and Ralf Fährmann were missing. The 35-year-old third goalkeeper Michael Langer came to his first competitive game for the Royal Blues – and did a good job. “Anyone who is in the squad of a Bundesliga team naturally has the quality to play the Bundesliga,” said coach Manuel Baum on Sky TV.
The substitute was powerless when he scored the first goal. After a corner from Bailey, Thiaw was pressed hard by Leverkusen’s Aleksandar Dragovic and pushed the ball head and shoulder into his own goal.
Against the Schalke team, who showed all their fighting power, the guests were playfully far better – despite the short-term loss of Kerem Demirbay. The midfielder tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. Nassim Boujalleb used the hosts’ only opportunity to score a goal, which was withdrawn because of passer-by Mark Uth (32nd).
Langer was beaten again in the 67th minute. After blocking a shot from Julian Baumgartlinger shortly before, the midfielder headed the ball into the net after a corner to make it 2-0. In the 72nd minute, Schalke had a great chance to connect. But Skrzybski missed the penalty that Suat Serdar had lost. Six minutes later, Schick decided the game with a 3-0 win.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201206-99-594647 / 5
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