Marius Bülter: The best away game of my career was at Schalke

Marius, you’ve been a Schalke 04 player for a week now. How does it feel to wear Royal Blue?
It’s a special feeling. Once my move to S04 was confirmed, a lot of friends messaged saying they were really happy for me. I’m absolutely delighted that we’re finally up and running and that I can get to know the team, the coaches and the staff.

How pleased were you to have the transfer sorted before the start of the training camp in Mittersill?
That was an important aspect for me. A training camp is the perfect chance to really become part of the group and integrate yourself into the team.

Are there are any players in the team that you already knew?
Not personally, but I have played against a few of the lads down the years. Apart from the odd chat during games between Schalke and Union Berlin, I didn’t have any direct contact with any of the players. I’ve got a very good first impression of the team though. The lads have welcomed me with open arms.

You featured in 58 of a possible 68 Bundesliga games for Union Berlin and even helped them reach the play-offs of the newly formed UEFA Conference League. Why did you decide to join Schalke instead?
I wasn’t planning on leaving Union, but as soon as Schalke displayed interest, I was as keen as mustard. This club just that has that special something that grabs you. Ultimately, I listened to my gut, and it told me that joining Schalke was the right move. I’m really excited about the challenge and want to play my part.

Your name is probably familiar with Schalke fans since 31st August 2019. Do you remember what happened on that day?
There will have been a Union game that night (grins).

Correct. And your opponents’ colours were…
…black and yellow. We won 3-1 and I scored two goals. It was our first ever win in the Bundesliga. I still get goosebumps when I think about it. What a night. A sell-out crowd, two goals, three points, the celebration with the fans – it was perfect.

You grew up in Dreierwalde which is an area of Hörstel, less than an hour from Gelsenkirchen. Are there a lot of Schalke fans there?
I know a lot of Schalker and some of my friends are fans too. Uwe Laurenz, my former coach at Eintracht Rheine, is a massive S04 supporter, for example. We’ve still kept in touch over the years, and he was one of the first who reached out to me when my transfer was confirmed.

Did you sometimes visit the VELTINS-Arena as a kid?
Of course. I even went to a few games at the old Parkstadion. The atmosphere auf Schalke was always incredible. It was no different two years ago when I played at the VELTINS-Arena with Union. I still remember it well. It was a Friday night and the stadium was sold-out. Suat Serdar scored a late winner for S04 and the sound the fans made was deafening. Despite the defeat, I said after the game that it was the best away game of my career. It was such a shame that we had to play in more or less an empty stadium when we were away at Schalke last season.

Union are also well known for their passionate supporters. What do the fans mean to you?
I used to play in Magdeburg before my move to Union, and the support there was already amazing; you always had a twelfth man in home games. It was another level in Berlin. As a footballer, you play to make the fans happy – that is what pushes you on and motivates you.

Apart from your games for Union, have there been other times in the past where you’ve come up against Schalke?
I came across them a couple of times down the years, yes. Once at youth level with Preußen Münster, and then again at SV Rödinghausen in the Regionalliga West against the U23s. Now I’m thrilled to be the one wearing the S04 colours.

You’re no stranger to playing in Bundesliga 2, having done so for Magdeburg. What does it come down to in the second tier?
You have to play as a proper team – every single player has to be able to rely on their teammates. If you’re a close-knit unit, then you can achieve a great deal as a team.

Our opening game is a big home match against Hamburger SV. Have you already had to sort tickets for your family and friends?
Yeah, a few people have asked already. I can’t wait for the opening game, especially as we’ll be able to have around 20,000 fans in the stadium as things stand. After a year without them, the atmosphere against HSV is sure to be electric.

You have two sisters who are twins. Which one will be getting the shirt from your first Schalke game?
Good question (laughs). I will make sure to have plenty of shirts for my family and friends before the game.

Have you already found a flat here?
Not yet. It’s been non-stop so far – I hadn’t long signed my contract before we headed off to the training camp. My girlfriend and I are looking, but we haven’t found the right one yet.

Is it true that there was contact between yourself and Schalke a few years ago?
That’s right. Schalke’s U23s were interested in me, but I was still studying back then and I wanted to finish my engineering degree first. That was important to me and doing both would have been too time-consuming. But I made it here in the end, so it looks like I made the right decision.

Your road to professional football hasn’t been your typical one by today’s standards. When did you realise that your favourite hobby could be your career?
There’s always some luck involved. I was able to earn a little bit of money playing football back at Rödinghausen. In my final year in the Regionalliga, when I finished as the top scorer, I realised that I could be good enough to play at a higher level, and then I made to the move to 1. FC Magdeburg in the second division.

There’s not set to be any reunions with your former clubs from Berlin and Magdeburg this season, unless we meet them in the DFB-Pokal that is. Which league match-ups are you looking forward to the most?
There are a lot of exciting games to look forward too. The opener against HSV is of course a blockbuster, but I’m also looking forward to the match against Nürnberg because a good friend of mine, Florian Hübner, plays for them. He used to be a teammate of mine at Union.

What are your goals for the new season?
First and foremost, I want to stay fit and healthy so that I can play as many games as possible. When I’m on the pitch, I will give my absolute all so that we can have a successful season and make the fans happy.