Sylla and Zalazar on the scoresheet in six-goal final pre-season friendly against Sevilla

Same formation as in recent weeks

Head coach Miron Muslic kept faith in his 3-4-2-1 system that has been used throughout pre-season. Loris Karius started in goal, behind a back-three of Felipe Sanchez, Timo Becker and Nikola Katic. Anton Donkor, Ron Schallenberg, Max Grüger and Adrian Gantenbein were in front of them, with Soufiane El-Faouzi and Christopher Antwi-Adjei playing as attacking midfielders. Moussa Sylla was selected up front. Six outfield players and two goalkeepers were named on the bench. Vitalie Becker and Mertcan Ayhan were rested and therefore not part of the squad.

Akor Adams gives Sevilla an early lead

The match against the Andalusian side proved to be every bit as challenging as expected on paper. Sevilla named a strong starting XI and immediately took the initiative. Inside the opening minute, Ruben Vargas was just unable to reach a cross from Dodi Lukebakio, but the visitors made their mark just four minutes in: Lukebakio switched the play with a cross to the left-hand side, Stanis Idumbo knocked the ball into the middle and Akor Adams headed it into the far corner from around 10 yards out to give Sevilla a 1-0 lead.

The Spaniards remained in control and pushed the game into Schalke’s half. The Royal Blues looked to launch quick counter-attacks, but were mostly stopped by Sevilla just after the halfway line. At the other end, Gabriel Suazo combined well down the left and crossed for Lukebakio, who laid it off to Stanis Idumbo – Max Grüger managed to block the shot and turn it behind for a corner (15’).

After the first 15 minutes, Schalke began to free themselves from the defensive pressure. Adrian Gantenbein tried to launch a counter-attack, but was brought down illegally by Kike Salas near the halfway line and the Sevilla defender was shown a yellow card (17’). Max Grüger delivered the resulting free-kick into the box, but Nikola Katic was unable to meet it at the back post (18’). At the other end, Loris Karius denied Sevilla a second: Idumbo played in Akor Adams, who found himself one-on-one with the S04 keeper, but Karius came out on top (21’). Moments later, Anton Donkor was also booked after fouling José Ángel Carmona (22’).

Schalke started to get forward more, piecing together several moves in the opposition half. A cross into the Sevilla box was met by Nikola Katic, who attempted an acrobatic overhead kick. The ball fell to Ron Schallenberg, who tried his luck from the edge of the area, and the rebound eventually landed at the feet of Timo Becker. His shot was saved and turned behind by Sevilla keeper Orjan Nyland (26’). A few minutes later, Felipe Sanchez headed a cross goalwards from 15 metres, but it was safely caught by the visiting goalkeeper (32’). Sevilla responded by ruthlessly punishing a mistake from the Royal Blues. Ruben Vargas intercepted a pass in Schalke’s build-up and slipped it through to Akor Adams, who coolly finished to double the lead (32’). Just a minute later, Stanis Idumbo found himself clean through down the left but missed an open goal, with Loris Karius already beaten (33’).

The LaLiga side stayed sharp for the remainder of the first half. Dodi Lukebakio had another effort from 17 metres in a central position, but Karius held on to the curling shot (43’). Schalke suffered another blow just before the break: Nikola Katic, who had clashed heads with Kike Salas midway through the half, had to come off after needing treatment. Taylan Bulut came on to replace him, shortly before referee Timo Gansloweit brought the first half to a close.

Soufiane El-Faouzi wins a penalty

Schalke looked to come out of the dressing room with renewed energy and more attacking intent. Their first attack immediately bore fruit: the Royal Blues won the ball high up the pitch, Timo Becker played it through to Christopher Antwi-Adjei, whose shot was saved by Orjan Nyland (46’). Just two minutes later, Moussa Sylla found himself unmarked in the centre of the box from a cross but was denied at the last moment. Sevilla hit back instantly with a counter – Ruben Vargas got a shot away from a central position, but Loris Karius made the save (48’).

With balls in behind and high pressing, Schalke began to pile more pressure on the Spanish visitors. Moussa Sylla was brought down by Nemanja Gudelj as he chased a through ball, earning the Sevilla captain a yellow card (54’). Moments later, Taylan Bulut won the ball in the opposition half and fed Adrian Gantenbein, who squared it at the edge of the area to Soufiane El-Faouzi. The summer signing was bundled over in the box by José Ángel Carmona and referee Timo Gansloweit pointed to the spot. Moussa Sylla stepped up and fired the penalty high into the net off the underside of the bar to make it 2-1 (59’).

Sevilla head coach Matías Almeyda responded with four substitutions and one of them quickly restored the two-goal cushion. Lucien Agoumé sent a cross into the Schalke box from the right, and Kelechi Iheanacho rose highest to head into the far corner for 3-1 (66’).

Miron Muslic made changes of his own: Ilyes Hamache replaced Ron Schallenberg (70’) and Henning Matriciani came on for Adrian Gantenbein, who moments earlier had won a corner with a strong solo run down the right (74’). Sevilla continued to look dangerous going forward, with substitute Gerard Peque curling an effort towards the far post that Loris Karius did well to parry wide (76’).

Schalke remained determined to find openings through good football. Time and again, they combined neatly in the build-up before being halted by Sevilla’s defence. With Bryan Lasme (on for Max Grüger), Mauro Zalazar (for Timo Becker) and Peter Remmert (for Moussa Sylla) coming on late, Schalke added fresh legs and gave the VELTINS-Arena another moment to celebrate. Lasme powered his way down the right and cut the ball into the box. Ilyes Hamache’s initial shot was blocked, but Zalazar pounced on the rebound and smashed it into the top-right corner to make it 3-2 (84’).

The one-goal deficit didn’t last long, however. A corner from the visitors was met by Marcao at the near post, and he guided his header into the far corner to make it 4-2 to Sevilla. Just two minutes later, Ramón Martínez broke forward on the counter down the left and fired towards goal, but Loris Karius tipped the shot wide for a corner (90’). It therefore ended in a high-scoring 4-2 defeat for the Royal Blues.

First league game next Friday

The Royal Blues start their new 2. Bundesliga campaign next Friday (1/8), hosting Hertha BSC in the opening game of the 2025/26 season at 20:30 CEST.