Tom Krauß: Let our rivals know we’re still here

“We know that it’s an extremely important game,” said Schalke’s number six. He felt the team didn’t play to their best against Freiburg and therefore now need to show a reaction against Werder, just as they did in the last home game, a 5-2 win over Hertha BSC. The team has reacted extremely well to setbacks in recent times, according to the 21-year-old. “We want to get the three points on Saturday with the fans behind us – they have been really important for us this season.”

Keep on developing

Krauß stressed that there will still be ups and downs regarding his own performances due to his age. “It’s important that I stay true to myself and acknowledge my mistakes. I try to keep my feet on the ground after a good game and look to keep on developing as a player,” said the Germany U21s international, who would like to be more dangerous in the final third after only scoring once so far in 2022/23.

The home game against Hertha BSC was the first Bundesliga match Krauß didn’t start this season, while he then missed the trip to Freiburg after a yellow-card suspension. “Being on the pitch is a bit different to being on the bench or in the stands. I was really nervous,” revealed the midfielder. “This little break might actually have been good for me. It can allow me to go into the final five games recharged and ready to go!”

Send a message to the other sides fighting for survival

The full focus in Gelsenkirchen is now on Saturday’s match against Werder Bremen. The Royal Blues lost 2-1 in the reverse fixture, despite a decent performance up north. “We did a lot of things right in that game, we just didn’t score enough goals. I’m confident that we’ve learnt from that night and improved since then,” commented Krauß, who wants to climb the table with three points. “We want to let our rivals know that we’re still here!”