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Timo Becker: This team just has so much heart
Timo Becker took on an extra responsibility in addition to his usual right-back duties as the Royal Blues fought their way back to a 2-1 victory at SV Elversberg on Sunday (12/4). As Schalke’s captain on the day, the 29-year-old led the team to a crucial away win, and, as was the case in Darmstadt, played a decisive role in securing a successful final result.
With a delicately lifted ball into the six-yard box, it was Becker who set up Soufiane El-Faouzi for a beautiful bicycle kick into the top corner to make it 1-1 on the day. It was a just reward for a spirited performance following an early goal conceded, with the Knappen trailing in Elversberg after just four minutes. “We refused to let ourselves bury our heads in the sand, and we managed to respond before the break, in quite impressive fashion at that,” recalled the defender.
Taking over as Schalke’s captain for the affair with Kenan Karaman ruled out through suspension, Becker had a clear message for the squad ahead of the game: “I said to the lads that this game could be won through our mentality.” The Royal Blues didn’t just showcase their mentality after the hosts took an early lead, but also particularly following the wrongful sending-off of Moussa Ndiaye after 51 minutes. Referee Michael Bacher took a foul from Lukas Petkov on the S04 defender to be an infringement by Ndiaye himself, who subsequently saw a second yellow card and was forced to leave the field. “You have to just accept situations like that and keep going – we did exactly that, and we got our reward for it.”
Picking up wins is always so important, but now it’s all about the next game against Münster.
Just five minutes after the sending-off, Moussa Sylla struck to make it 2-1 to S04, and the team were able to hold onto their lead until the final whistle through an “incredible amount of hard work.” Becker continued: “With this kind of mindset, we’ve no need to panic, as we always manage to make up for absences and the like as a team.” Schalke’s number 5 waxed lyrical about his teammates, saying: “This team just has so much heart, and I’m really proud of the journey we’re on as a club.”
With five matchdays left to play, we’re fast approaching the end of the 2025/26 season, and Timo Becker and co. are sticking to the line that they’ve been repeating all throughout the campaign: “Picking up wins is always so important, but now it’s all about the next game against Münster.” The clash with the side currently sitting rock bottom of the 2. Bundesliga is not a challenge to be underestimated, as Becker knows. “It’s still all to play for at the bottom of the table, and so we’re going to need to give 100% yet again if we want to come out on top here.”
