Royal Blues beaten 3-0 by Atalanta to conclude Schalke Day

Junior Dina Ebimbe starts just a day after signing

Just one day after signing for the club, Junior Dina Ebimbe made his Schalke debut at the VELTINS-Arena. He was one of three changes from the side that faced KSV Hessen Kassel, with the Cameroon international replacing Dejan Ljubičić at right wing-back, Vitalie Becker coming in for Robin Gosens on the opposite flank and Satoshi Tanaka taking Ron Schallenberg’s place in central midfield. Otherwise, head coach Miron Muslic named an unchanged side for Schalke’s penultimate friendly before the start of the competitive season. Defender Nikola Katic, who returned to training at the start of the week following his post-World Cup break, also got his first minutes this season during the second half.

Schalke create chances but Atalanta are clinical

The action started at a lively pace in the VELTINS-Arena. Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi came out to claim an early corner from Adil Aouchiche (2’), while at the other end the centre of the S04 defence snuffed out two attacks from the visitors. The woodwork then denied Atalanta the first goal of the game, with Giorgio Scalvani’s header from a corner clipping the outside of the left post in the eighth minute.

Schalke’s best opportunity up to that point also came from a header. Junior Dina Ebimbe crossed from the right for Kenan Karaman inside the penalty area, but the captain’s effort landed on the roof of the net (12’). Five minutes later, the captain was involved again, latching onto Soufiane El-Faouzi’s lay-off, but Gianluca Gaetano and Honest Ahanor did just enough to prevent him from bringing the ball fully under control.

The Royal Blues won the ball back high up the pitch through Soufiane El-Faouzi and Kenan Karaman in the 22nd minute and quickly worked it across to Junior Adamu. The striker opted to shoot right away from around 20 yards but dragged his effort wide of Carnesecchi’s goal. Shortly afterwards, Junior Dina Ebimbe drilled a low ball in from the right towards Adil Aouchiche, whose first-time effort from close range was blocked.

Despite Schalke having had the better of the game, it was Atalanta who took the lead. Gianluca Gaetano slipped Gianluca Scamacca through, and the striker beat Loris Karius to make it 1-0 (30’). The Royal Blues responded with a double chance in the 38th minute. Marco Carnesecchi first did well to turn Adil Aouchiche’s deep free-kick behind for a corner, before Kenan Karaman headed the resulting delivery against the crossbar.

Lazar Samardzic, who had cleared the rebound from Karaman’s header off the line, then made it 2-0 to Atalanta at the other end. The visitors broke quickly, Samardzic rounded Loris Karius and was left with a simple finish from close range (40’). Schalke continued to push despite conceding a second, but the score remained 2-0 going into the break.

Schalke continue to have the better of the play

The Knappen came out for the second half with real intent and immediately went on the attack. Kenan Karaman (48’), Adil Aouchiche from a free-kick (50’) and Junior Adamu twice in quick succession (52’, 53’) all had chances, but none found the net. Substitute Moussa Sylla then won a free-kick in the 63rd minute following a challenge from former Schalke defender Sead Kolasinac, who had also just come on. Junior Adamu soon got another sight of goal, but Marco Carnesecchi denied him.

Schalke had another promising set piece shortly afterwards, but Adil Aouchiche’s dangerous delivery was blocked by the Atalanta defence (65’). S04 continued to combine neatly in the opposition half, but too often the final pass or finish was lacking. That was the case again in the 77th minute, when Junior Adamu saw another effort blocked.

Soufiane El-Faouzi was picked out at the far post from a corner in the final ten minutes, but Kakarai Sulemana reacted well. Hasan Kuruçay also had a header from Nikola Katic’s cross kept out (82’). Atalanta then made one of their few chances of the second half count through Nikola Krstovic. He got past Nikola Katic inside the box before firing beyond Loris Karius to make it 3-0 (87’), which proved to be the final score at the VELTINS-Arena.

Final pre-season test against Real Madrid

The Knappen will welcome another of Europe’s top clubs to Gelsenkirchen for their final friendly of pre-season. Real Madrid visit on Sunday (16/8) as part of the VELTINS-Arena’s 25th-anniversary celebrations, with kick-off against the Spanish side at 17:00 CEST. S04 will then turn their attention to competitive action and the first round of the DFB-Pokal, with Schalke travelling to Hallescher FC on Monday evening (24/8) at 20:45 CEST.