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Miron Muslic: Exactly the sort of challenge that we enjoy
FC Schalke 04 travel to face third-placed SV Elversberg on Sunday (12/04, 13:30 CEST), with their upcoming opponents having suffered just one defeat at home so far this season. "We're up against an extremely strong opponent, a top team" said head coach Miron Muslic. "Elversberg are enjoying a fantastic campaign, but this is exactly the sort of challenge that we enjoy. We have been able to record strong results against the teams in the top six over the last months."
The Royal Blues are therefore champing at the bit for their chance to challenge Elversberg on their own patch, with only Hertha BSC having managed to come away from the URSAPHARM-Arena with all three points this season (3-0 win on Matchday 21). SVE have otherwise won eight and drawn four of their home games this term.
SVE even stronger than they were last season
“Elversberg were a hair’s breadth away from being promoted to the Bundesliga last season,” said Muslic, recalling how their upcoming opponents only narrowly lost their relegation play-off against 1. FC Heidenheim. The decisive goal only fell in the fifth minute of second-half injury time, condemning Elversberg to a 2-1 defeat (4-3 on aggregate).
We're up against a strong opponent, but we also have plenty of quality in our squad.
Despite undergoing a rebuild over the summer that saw not only countless players leave the club, but also head coach Horst Steffen leave for SV Werder Bremen, SVE are once again challenging for promotion under new head coach Vincent Wagner. “Our opponent are even stronger than they were last season and have picked up eight more points than at this same stage last season,” said Muslic. SVE’s style of play is marked by high rates of possession and completed passes, with Lukas Petkov and Tom Zimmerschied posing a threat in attack.
“We’re up against a strong opponent, but we also have plenty of quality in our squad,” said the 43-year-old. Here, he’s not only referencing the power and force that Schalke have managed to bring to the pitch in recent weeks, but also their strengths in possession and in transition. These qualities were also on show in their 1-0 win against Elversberg earlier this term. “We played extremely well that day and barely gave up any chances in defence,” said Muslic. Hasan Kuruçay netted the winning goal for the Royal Blues.
Karaman suspended on Sunday but still travelling to Saarland
However, that game is in the past, asserted Muslic. Like always, the focus is solely on the game at hand. The head coach will need to make at least two changes to his starting line-up this weekend, however, with captain Kenan Karaman and Mertcan Ayhan unavailable after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season against Karlsruhe last time out. The two will serve their one-game suspension this weekend.
The captain is still planning to accompany the Royal Blues to Elversberg, in order to support his teammates. “Kenan does a fantastic job of fulfilling his role as a captain and leader. The fact that he wants to be there with the team shows his commitment as captain of Schalke 04,” Muslic said in praise of the prolific striker. At the same time, the coach did not complain about needing to make adjustments to his team, saying “That’s something we haven’t done all season, whenever we’ve been without key players. So far, we’ve always managed to find solutions, which we’ll do again this weekend.” Not only does the team benefit from working together as a collective, but Muslic added that, “Every player in the squad has internalised our principles. That’s what makes us strong.”
In other personnel news, Vitalie Becker is once again available for selection after having been able to complete a full session with the team recently. The left-back has been sidelined with an injury since the Royal Blue’s first game of the year against Hertha back in January.
