Schalke in Focus: Rock-Solid Defence, Misfiring Attack

FC Schalke 04 are back in the Bundesliga. After spending two seasons near the bottom of the second division, Schalke returned to the top flight this summer as 2. Bundesliga champions. The Royal Blues have held their own so far, picking up five points from their opening five matches, including a goalless draw against record champions Bayern Munich. That leaves them 13th in the table. Mainz, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from last weekend's 3-4 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. The 05ers will be aiming to maintain their perfect away record while also settling an old score. We take a closer look at Saturday's clash at the Veltins-Arena (15:30 CEST, live on Sky, DAZN and 05ER.fm).

The Head Coach

Miron Muslic has transformed Schalke in a remarkably short space of time. The 44-year-old Austrian of Bosnian descent previously managed Belgian top-flight side Cercle Brugge and English Championship outfit Plymouth Argyle. When he took charge of Schalke in late May 2025, he inherited a club that had spent the previous two seasons battling to avoid relegation to the third tier. Muslic turned things around, guiding the Royal Blues back to the Bundesliga in his very first season.

Muslic's approach is built around defensive organisation, intensity and commitment. His side employ a high press, supported by a back three or five and a compact midfield. Once possession is regained, Schalke look to break forward quickly, with keeping the ball taking a back seat to direct attacking play. Following the start of the season, Muslic praised his players' organisation and fighting spirit. He also showed his willingness to take responsibility after the defeat to Freiburg. "I made a tactical mistake today," the 44-year-old admitted in his post-match press conference, taking the blame for the loss.

The Squad

Former Mainz goalkeeper Loris Karius is Schalke's first choice between the sticks. In front of him, vice-captain Timo Becker, Nikola Katic and Hasan Kurucay usually form the back three, while Austrian international Maximilian Wöber is pushing for more playing time. Muslic likes to rotate his options at wing-back, with Robin Gosens, Dejan Ljubicic, Vitalie Becker, Junior Dina Ebimbe and, more recently, Adrian Gantenbein all in contention for a place in the starting XI.

Two players have firmly established themselves in central midfield. Soufiane El-Faouzi pulls the strings in the middle of the park, while Satoshi Tanaka provides defensive stability alongside him. The Japanese midfielder seized his opportunity following Ron Schallenberg's suspension after a red card on the opening matchday and has since become a regular fixture in the side. Schalke boast plenty of experience in attack. Captain Kenan Karaman leads by example and provides a goal threat, while Moussa Sylla offers a powerful presence in the penalty area. Junior Adamu, Edin Dzeko and Hee-chan Hwang are also waiting in the wings for their opportunities. However, much of the attention is on Adil Aouchiche. The 24-year-old Algerian has started almost every game this season and is the only attacking player in the squad to have found the back of the net so far.

The Start to the Season

Solid at the back but struggling in attack – that sums up Schalke's start to the season. The newly promoted side have conceded just six goals, half of which came in their opening 3-0 defeat away to Augsburg. On home soil, Schalke are yet to concede a goal, but they are also still waiting to score their first. They held Bayern Munich to an unlikely 0-0 draw, while their clash with fellow newcomers SV Elversberg also ended goalless.

The Royal Blues' only victory so far came in Köpenick, where they secured a 3-1 win over Union Berlin. However, they came away empty-handed last matchday despite having a numerical advantage. Freiburg, down to ten men, struck the winner to make it 2-1 with just five minutes of normal time remaining, leaving Schalke frustrated. With only four goals in five matches, it is clear where the Royal Blues still need to improve.

The Last Meeting

The most recent meeting between the two sides ended in heartbreak for Mainz. On 5th May 2023, Schalke travelled to the MEWA ARENA, where the visitors twice took the lead through Marius Bülter (26') and Tom Krauß (60'), only for Leandro Barreiro (53') and Aaron Martin (70') to draw the 05ers level on both occasions. Deep into stoppage time, VAR played a decisive role. After reviewing the footage, referee Matthias Jöllenbeck pointed to the spot, and Bülter stepped up to convert the penalty and seal a dramatic 3-2 victory for Schalke. However, the win was ultimately not enough to save the Royal Blues from relegation, as they finished second from bottom, while Mainz ended the season in ninth place.