Five Schalke players on international duty

Five Schalke players have been called up to represent their national teams during this week’s international break. Mehmet Can Aydin and Alex Král are in EURO qualification action, Ibrahima Cissé and Mali U23s are aiming to reach the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, while Henning Matriciani and Tom Krauß have been named in the Germany U21s squad for their two friendlies.

Aydin’s first Turkey call-up

Mehmet Can Aydin is hoping to make his debut for Turkey. Stefan Kuntz has called up the 21-year-old defender for the first time for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Armenia on Saturday (25/3, 18:00 CET) and Croatia on Tuesday (28/3, 20:45 CEST).

Král away with Czech Republic

Alex Král and Czech Republic’s first qualifier is on 24th March against Poland (20:45 CET). Three days later, the Schalke midfielder and his nation are away in Moldova (20:45 CEST).

Cissé wants to qualify for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations

Ibrahima Cissé and Mali are looking to qualify for the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, to be played in Morocco between 2nd and 26th November 2023. They will face Senegal twice, with the winner advancing directly to the tournament. The first leg is away in Dakar on 22nd March, the second in Bamako on 28th March. Both games will kick off at 20:00 (CET/CEST).

Matriciani and Krauß in action with Germany U21s

Henning Matriciani has been called up to represent a Germany side for the first time. Together with Schalke teammate Tom Krauß, he will be hoping to make his U21s debut in their final friendlies before the European Championship this summer. Their first mach is against Japan on Friday (24/3) in Frankfurt (18:15 CET), before a trip to one of the tournament’s hosts, Romania, on Tuesday (28/3, 18:00 CEST).

Overview of all fixtures:

Mehmet Can Aydin
EURO 2024 qualifiers
Armenia – Turkey, 25/3, 18:00 CET, Yerevan
Turkey – Croatia, 28/3, 20:45 CEST, Bursa

Alex Král
EURO 2024 qualifiers
Czech Republic – Poland, 24/3, 20:45 CET, Prague
Moldova – Czech Republic, 27/3, 20:45 CEST, Chisinau

Ibrahima Cissé
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualifiers
Senegal – Mali, 22/3, 20:00 CET, Dakar
Mali – Senegal, 28/3, 20:00 CEST, Bamako

Henning Matriciani and Tom Krauß
U21 friendlies
Germany – Japan, 24/3, 18:15 CET, Frankfurt
Romania – Germany, 28/3, 18:00 CEST, Sibiu