Search
Login
Please log in with your user data.
Miron Muslic: Every game in the 2. Bundesliga is a 50-50 contest
At a sold-out VELTINS-Arena this Saturday (21/2), FC Schalke 04 will be hoping to finally experience that unparalleled feeling of winning in front of a home crowd again as they face 1. FC Magdeburg at 20:30 CET, having only managed a draw in each of their two games in Gelsenkirchen this calendar year. While FCM currently sit down in sixteenth place in the league table, head coach Miron Muslic has warned of the threat posed by this weekend’s opponent. “Magdeburg have recorded the most shots of any side in the division at this point and averaged the highest possession as well, with obvious strength in the attacking department,” said the head coach when asked what kind of challenge his team are gearing up for on Saturday night.
The stats aren’t the only reason that Muslic is not looking at the matchup as an easy undertaking. “Every game in the 2. Bundesliga is a 50-50 contest. You’re not automatically the favourite, just because you’re a top-four side playing against a team further down the league. We’re still absolutely determined to take three points from this game, though, because this is Schalke!” emphasised Muslic, who, together with his team of coaches and analysts, has come up with a number of ideas as to how S04 can do damage to their visitors this weekend.
Magdeburg more dangerous away from home
FCM’s season so far has been somewhat of a tale of two teams. The 1974 European Cup Winners’ Cup champions have picked up 16 points on the road already, a tally nine better than their record at the Avnet Arena this campaign. “Magdeburg seem to be enjoying life a little more when playing away from home this year. They’ve shown their threat going forward at a number of different grounds,” said Muslic.
20 of their 23 points have come under the stewardship of coaching duo Petrik Sander and Pascal Ibold, who took over from Markus Fiedler in October 2025 on an interim basis, before eventually being given the permanent roles. Fiedler was only able to guide his side to one win in the first eight matchdays of this season, losing the other seven, including the reverse fixture against Schalke. Two goals from captain Kenan Karaman saw the Royal Blues run out 2-0 winners in Magdeburg last September.
The lads did brilliantly in Kiel. That was one of our strongest performances away from home all season.
Muslic declined to reveal any specifics of the XI he plans to line up with at the VELTINS-Arena on Saturday. He did heap praise on last weekend’s display, though, saying: “The lads did brilliantly in Kiel. That was one of our strongest performances away from home all season.” He emphasised the importance of continuing to find the right balance between attacking might, with an xG statistic of more than three, and defensive solidity. “We’re working on that, week in, week out.”
Gantenbein back in team training
Coming to the latest squad news, the head coach will have more options to choose from than he did for the trip to Kiel. Timo Becker, who had to be substituted off against KSV at half time due to thigh problems, was back fully involved in the Knappen’s training session on Wednesday (18/2) – as was Adrian Gantenbein, with the full-back having been ruled out since picking up an injury in January’s game away at Hertha BSC.
Still yet to play a single minute in 2025/26 is Tomas Kalas. “He’ll definitely be able to help us towards the end of the season,” said Muslic. “Tomas is finally able to take part in eleven-versus-eleven exercises for the first time in ten months. He’s been training for a few weeks now. We’re upping the intensity, but he still needs some time.”
