Win in Elversberg overshadowed by tragedy

FC Schalke 04 ended the year with a 4-1 win against league leaders SV Elversberg, having taken seven points from their last three games. However, the team's delight at their success was overshadowed by a tragic event in Magdeburg on Friday evening (20/12). A car was deliberately driven into a crowd of people at a Christmas market, resulting in several deaths and countless serious injuries. The news deeply affected the players, staff and fans.

“We’re happy about the result, but finding out after the game what happened in Magdeburg made it all feel irrelevant,” S04 head coach Kees van Wonderen said afterwards. “Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”

The head coach spoke briefly about the match at the post-game press conference. “We were more direct in finishing our moves in the second half, and our individual quality is what ultimately made the difference,” he explained, before adding that there was a “shadow” that had been cast over the day. “Spending time discussing the game just doesn’t feel right.”

Schalke players shaken by the news

Ron Schallenberg, who scored for the Royal Blues in Elversberg, also expressed his condolences to the victims of the attack. “I’ve got chills, but not because of the game,” he said. “I was the happiest man in the world just a few minutes ago; then I heard about what happened in Magdeburg. My thoughts are with everyone there.” Mehmet Can Aydin shared an Instagram post in which he wrote that he was happy about the win, but that he was “deeply affected by the tragic news coming out of Magdeburg.”

Despite the team’s successful evening on the pitch, the 20th of December 2024 will forever be marked by the tragic occurrences in Magdeburg. What it did prove once again, however, is that there are times where football takes a backseat to what is happening in the world – even for a football club.

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