How Schalke returned to the Bundesliga after their 'worst season ever'

TL;DR

Schalke has secured promotion back to the Bundesliga after defeating Fortuna Duesseldorf 1-0, ending a challenging three-season stint in the second division. The club aims to build on this success with a new mindset and strategic recruitment.

Key points

Schalke won 1-0 against Fortuna Duesseldorf to secure promotion.
The club faced financial issues and a challenging relegation history.
Miron Muslic was appointed as head coach to change the team's mindset.
Edin Dzeko joined Schalke and played a crucial role in their success.
Schalke's promotion sets the stage for future Revierderby matches.

Mentioned in this story

Loris KariusMatthias TillmannMiron MuslicFrank BaumannEdin DzekoGazprom

SchalkeFortuna DuesseldorfBundesliga

Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius celebrates with the side after sealing promotion to the top flight. (INA FASSBENDER) (INA FASSBENDER/AFP/AFP) After three seasons in the second flight, Schalke's 1-0 home win over Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday returned the German giants to the Bundesliga. For those inside the club, the road to promotion is about making good on a series of mistakes and bringing Schalke back where they belong. Seven-time German champions Schalke are among Europe's best supported teams. Only two clubs in Germany -- Bayern Munich and bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund -- have more than their 200,000 members. In 2021, Schalke were relegated for the first time in three decades. Saddled with debt, a Covid-era relegation hit harder. After an immediate return to the top flight, they suffered the same fate again -- and this time did not bounce back so easily. CEO Matthias Tillmann, who joined the club in 2024, told AFP that Schalke being in the second division is a "mistake". "We are not a second division club when it comes to fans, to infrastructure," he said. "Obviously, we are there now and there are reasons for that. "We've made mistakes on the sporting side, capital allocation... The first relegation in 2021, the beginning of Covid, was very tough financially. "Then we immediately went down again, which is not good." In 2022, the club took another financial hit with the termination of a lucrative sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom after the Ukraine invasion.

'A new mindset' - Schalke's support has endured despite their lack of on-field success, with every one of their 16 home matches attracting over 60,000 fans this season. But Schalke's size and history meant the club could feel crushed under the weight of expectation. In 2024-25, Schalke spent much of the season close to the relegation spots, finishing 14th of 18 teams. In summer, the club signed coach Miron Muslic and brought in Frank Baumann to head up the sporting department. Baumann said Muslic helped Schalke rebound after their "worst season ever". "In the past couple of years, maybe (the players) were afraid of the reaction of supporters when they lose," Baumann told AFP. "But this mindset, we changed in the summer. Miron, as head coach, had a lot of influence on this." Tillmann admits the club's promotion was ahead of schedule, joking Schalke's pre-season aims were less lofty. "Youri (Mulder), our sporting director, said it in a funny way, that our goal is that we don't have to fire our coach this year. "So far we're on track. I don't think we'll do that in the next couple of weeks." Tillmann said Schalke welcomed the "challenge" of going up earlier than expected. "You cannot say, we are not quite ready, so let's not go up this year. We do it next year. "That's not how it works." Tillmann, a lifelong Schalke fan, took over in January 2024 after a career in the private sector. "It's not a normal business," Tillmann says of football. "We're not here to make profits, to grow revenue -- that's only a means to an end. "We have all of this to build a great squad, to win trophies."

Q&A

How did Schalke return to the Bundesliga?

Schalke returned to the Bundesliga by winning 1-0 against Fortuna Duesseldorf, marking their promotion after three seasons in the second division.

What challenges did Schalke face before their promotion?

Schalke faced financial difficulties, including a debt crisis and the loss of a sponsorship deal with Gazprom, which compounded their struggles after relegation.

Who is the head coach that helped Schalke rebound?

Miron Muslic is the head coach credited with helping Schalke rebound after their worst season, implementing a new mindset among the players.

What impact did Edin Dzeko have on Schalke's season?

Edin Dzeko significantly contributed to Schalke's success by scoring six goals and providing three assists in nine games, helping the team secure promotion.