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Ron Schallenberg: We are one unit – on the pitch and in the stands
When the whistle finally blew to confirm three points for the Royal Blues on Friday (6/3), Ron Schallenberg looked overjoyed to be able to share the moment with both his teammates and a sold-out crowd at the VELTINS-Arena. Having played the full game against Arminia Bielefeld, in what was Schalke’s ninth home win of the season, our midfield metronome sat down with us for a schalke04.de interview, in which he discussed the clash with DSC, next Sunday’s showdown with Hannover 96, and how important it is to feel the backing of the fans.
Ron, congratulations on Friday’s win. How do you look back at the win after an intense 90 minutes plus added time?
Ultimately, we deserved to win that game. It feels good to have taken all three points – especially because we managed to keep a clean sheet. Kevin Müller made two brilliant stops in the early stages of the game, and he put in a really impressive performance. With a tight lead like that, it was a tense situation right up until the final whistle. We definitely should have been able to extend our lead by a goal or two. I was someone who had a chance to put one away, but it just seemed like the ball didn’t fancy going in more than once tonight. We can say that we succeeded in making things really difficult for our opponent, though.
More than 120km was covered in the first half alone, if you add both sides together. Did you go into Friday expecting such an intense affair?
Bielefeld have been playing a similar brand of football to us this season. That did play into our hands somewhat, as we were automatically very compact in that game. We defended brilliantly as a team. This campaign, we’ve proven to be a difficult side to play against when we take the lead, and it’s something that defines us as a team.
This campaign, we’ve proven to be a difficult side to play against when we take the lead.
Today was yet another example of Edin Džeko showing just how effective he is. It was his fifth goal of the year that ended up making the difference on the night.
It’s a testament to Edin’s quality that he was in exactly the right place at the right time and then put the ball in the back of the net. We’re delighted to have him as part of our team, and I am sure that he is also happy to be with us.
The decisive goal came from a corner. Why do you think you’ve been so dangerous from set-piece situations this season?
We’re very clear on the zones we want to be occupying in front of goal. Even if the initial ball in is a little too short, we still pose a threat by way of our positioning. Adil Aouchiche put a great ball into the area for the chance this time. We run through dead balls a lot in training, and on this occasion, we saw the fruits of our labour.
You’re back at home next weekend, with Hannover 96 heading to Gelsenkirchen on Sunday. What kind of opponent are you expecting?
Hannover are one of the strongest teams in the league on the ball, there’s no doubt about that. Possibly even the best. We’re gearing up for a challenge against them, but it’s one that we’re happy to accept. If you look back at this point in each of the last two seasons, we’re in a different kind of place this time around. We know that we’re capable of playing with a real sense of freedom, and we look forward to every single game. The fact that we’re going to be back in front of a home crowd makes it all the more exciting. I can’t come up with any words worthy enough to truly describe the atmosphere against Bielefeld, which is often the case when we’re running out in Gelsenkirchen.
Every single supporter in the stands is behind us from the first second to the last.
You mention the buzz at the VELTINS-Arena. How much of a boost do you get from playing in front of that crowd?
We’re a very tough team to face when we’re playing at home this year, only losing one game there so far this season (editor’s note: 1-0 defeat to Holstein Kiel on matchday 5). That’s far from a coincidence. We’re all one unit, every player on the pitch and every fan in the stadium. Everybody finds it difficult when they have to come to the VELTINS-Arena and play us in our own backyard. It has been a crucial factor in helping us win even the more closely fought contests here. Every single supporter in the stands is behind us from the first second to the last. It makes things out on the pitch a lot of fun, and it’s a huge help to us.
After the international break, we’ve got another top-of-the-table clash as we go away to Darmstadt. How important are these games against rivals in the league standings?
Both games are crucial, as is every match that we play. We’re absolutely determined to win both of those fixtures. Those two results won’t immediately decide the season, though, regardless of whether we win, lose or draw. I think that almost all the teams in this league will have something at stake right up until the last matchday. We’ll keep doing what we’re doing and take each game as it comes.
