For the original Schalke Ralf Fährmann, today’s game means much more of a great opportunity to release undreamt-of emotions with a win and perhaps to create the relegation miracle of Schalke after all. That’s why he sent a few videos of old derbies into the team chat, reports Fährmann: “To get the boys hot so that we can hopefully deliver a great derby.”
Indeed, a success of the last knocked-off against BVB, who is also staggering at a higher level, could cause a change in mood among the Schalke players who, despite protests to the contrary, somehow seemed to come to terms with their fate. “Especially because the derby is characterized by so many emotions, a win there can be more important than a normal win,” says Fährmann: “It would be a great start in a series.” In addition, one can “give something back to the fans. They deserve it”.
Meanwhile, veteran coach Christian Gross points to a good derby record. “I have experienced wonderfully intense games in Switzerland, Egypt and Saudi Arabia,” said the 66-year-old: “I like games like that. And most of the time I left the field as the winner.”
“We want to show that we are still behind it,” said Fan Club President Dirk Knüvener at Sky: “We cannot cheer, complain and throw our beer around when we are in the curve. It works properly on the thread. I think that’s why it went down so well. ” According to information from the “Waltroper Zeitung”, the large order also saved the T-shirt printing company in question from the threat of bankruptcy.
He found the action “terrific,” said Gross. Meanwhile, Marketing Director Alexander Jobst stated: “We haven’t had as little derby fever as we have at the moment. But it would be good for us all if we could beat the black and yellow.”
But also for BVB, who won 3-2 at Sevilla FC in the Champions League during the week, a win could be an initial spark in the race to catch up for another top-class qualification. To spoil something for the other is always a special motivation for both. In Dortmund they are still talking about 2-0 in 2007, which prevented Schalke’s championship title on the penultimate match day. And on Schalke from 4: 2 on matchday 31 two years ago, which ultimately cost BVB the title.
But this year there is also pity mixed up somewhere between ridicule and competition. Even with ex-Dortmund’s Kevin Großkreutz, who said at the time of the player that he hated Schalke “like the plague” and that his son would come “home” if he became a Schalke fan. Now he was quite tame at Sky. “I’m not a person who steps on it again when someone is on the ground. I know the whole thing from myself,” said the 2014 world champion. He assured me: “You don’t need to discuss that, the derby would be missing in the Ruhr area . ” And he even gave the Schalke courage: “With a good run anything is still possible”.
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