Schalke lose 4-0 at home to FC Bayern

Kolasinac and Huntelaar out injured

Sead Kolasinac, who went off injured on Wednesday night against 1. FC Köln, was unavailable for the game against FC Bayern due to that thigh problem. Bastian Oczipka came into the side for him at left-back – Christian Gross’ only change to the team that lost 2-1 to the Billy Goats. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar still wasn’t fit enough to make the squad after his calf injury, having rejoined the club earlier in the week.

Good chances for both sides

Sunday’s game in the VELTINS-Arena didn’t take long to get going, with Timo Becker having the first shot after just a minute, while ex-Schalker Leroy Sané curled a ball wide moments after. Robert Lewandowski headed over in the 7th minute, before Suat Serdar had a similar chance at the other end, also missing the target, though.

Mark Uth came even closer with his header from inside ten yards saved by the legs of Manuel Neuer, having been brilliantly set up by Bastian Oczipka’s cross (11’). Ralf Fährmann was being tested at the other end too. Robert Lewandowski’s free-kick from the edge of the box was initially parried away and the Schalke goalkeeper quickly got to his feet to keep out Serge Gnabry’s rebound too (23’).

The Royal Blues clocked up their next chance on the half-hour mark, with Ozan Kabak’s header from a corner forcing Neuer to scramble across his goal and scoop the ball away. Despite a promising start, the opening goal went Bayern’s way, as Thomas Müller headed in at the back post from Joshua Kimmich’s cross (33’). The visitors now took command of proceedings for the remainder of the half, but Schalke kept them at bay with some strong tackling.

Lewandowski scores his 23rd goal of the season

Serge Gnabry had the first shot of the second period, missing the far post from the edge of the box (49’). Schalke’s best chance of an equaliser after the break fell to Matija Nastasic. The centre-back met a Harit corner well, but his header just went past the far post (52’). Two minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead. Kimmich played the ball over the top for Robert Lewandowski and, after keeping Ozan Kabak at bay, he beat Fährmann from a narrow angle to score his 23rd Bundesliga goal of the season.

Despite the two-goal deficit, Schalke didn’t give up. Suat Serdar came close to hitting the target with a low shot in the 59th minute. Ralf Fährmann then made a good save from a Gnabry shot in the 62nd minute.

Alessandro Schöpf, who had only just come on as a substitute, had a good chance after 73 minutes. The Austrian’s powerful low drive narrowly flew past the post. Lewandowski then failed to convert a similar opportunity at the other end two minutes later.

The final stages of the game belonged to the away side. Jamal Musiala could have added a third and Fährmann denied Coman shortly afterwards (85’). They did, however, still find the back of the net. Thomas Müller grabbed his second of the afternoon, this time heading in a Kimmich corner (88’). The record German champions then added a fourth goal too. In the 90th minute, David Alaba hit one from distance that crept underneath Fährmann, meaning it ended 4-0 to FC Bayern.

Saturday away in Bremen

S04’s first away game of the Rückrunde is at SV Werder Bremen on Saturday (30/1, 15:30 CET).