Icon: enlarge
Schalke's Benjamin Stambouli experienced the next defeat despite an improved performance
Photo: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
Horst Heldt once said, and he meant it seriously, that he wanted to become champions with FC Schalke 04.
The situation of the soccer nation gave this claim.
“If FC Bayern is weak, then we have to be ready.
No other German champion is allowed to be there, ”said the Gelsenkirchen sports director at the time in the winter of the 2012/13 season.
Since then, Bayern have always been champions because they are either vastly superior or ready when the competition weakens.
We used the template, «said coach Hansi Flick on Sunday after his team had won 4-0 at FC Schalke.
They are now seven points ahead of second place in the table, RB Leipzig, who lost like Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund.
It's easy to make fun of Schalke 04 at the moment.
Result from the first leg halved, again a colon between the year in the club name - the Gelsenkircheners have to live with the ridicule.
It also sounds strange that coach Christian Gross said: "We have made progress."
But it was like that.
Schalke was brave as Gross demanded.
Schalke shot 14 times on Bayern's goal.
Schalke gave away a chance of the highest category to lead through Mark Uth.
Schalke made hope, even if so much speaks against relegation.
The question is whether the appealing performance resulted from the feeling of the blatant outsider or an actual increase.
Psychologically, the task against the leaders was much easier than it will be next Saturday at Werder Bremen.
"We have to address the positive and inspire each other," said Gross about his task in the coming days.
Let the old heroes fix it
Schalke, so far with only one win and 14 goals, has to score, defend leadership, win, and often.
Hopes rest on two players who know the club from a time when more wins were celebrated than defeats were lamented.
Sead Kolasinac (thigh) and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (calf) were both absent due to an injury against Bayern.
"I'm confident about Huntelaar," said Gross when asked about the chances of the two playing in Bremen.
At Kolasinac there are several indications of another failure: "Difficult to assess."
His dynamism will be important in the second half of the season.
There are voices that consider him more valuable in defensive midfield.
Gross also indicated that he was considering withdrawing the loan player from Arsenal from the position of left full-back.
But especially at the ends of the back four, the Schalke guys lack quality.
Bastian Oczipka crossed perfectly at Uth's chance, but these are rare moments of strength.
His attempt to overtake Leroy Sané in a running duel was downright adventurous.
With all the improvements in the game against Bayern, the many deficits that brought Schalke into the extremely precarious position remain.
This includes the weakness in the opponent's flanks, whether from the game or after set pieces.
Thomas Müller headed his two goals on Sunday under appreciative observation from a distance.
Timo Becker, who played as a right defender in recent weeks, was partly responsible.
He is 23 years old and started the season for Schalke's second team in the Regionalliga West.
After Kilian Ludewig's injury and unsuccessful attempts with Benjamin Stambouli, Becker played there.
The Schalke hope that they will offer another right-back in Bremen.
William, a 25-year-old Brazilian, is to be loaned from VfL Wolfsburg.
“I hope the club will be able to sign him.
We want to bring him in as soon as possible, ”said Gross.
According to information from Spiegel, Schalke hoped to the end that Danny da Costa would move from Eintracht Frankfurt to the Ruhr area.
However, he decided against Schalke, against 1. FC Köln and for 1. FSV Mainz 05 and prepared the 3-2 winner against RB Leipzig with a dynamic sprint and a sharp cross.
According to the pattern, it will soon also run at Schalke, with Huntelaar as the customer in the middle.
Icon: The mirror