Schalke close to Bundesliga return after crucial win in Paderborn

Schalke's Dejan Ljubicic celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between SC Paderborn 07 and FC Schalke 04 at Home Deluxe Arena. Swen Pförtner/dpa

Schalke took a big step towards a return into the Bundesliga after three years when they fought from two goals down to a 3-2 victory at promotion rivals Paderborn on Sunday.

Paderborn led from Laurin Curda Stefano Marino after 26 minutes but Dejan Ljubicic and Adil Aouchiche hauled Schalke level before half-time and Ljubicic then got an 83rd-minute winner.

Former UEFA Cup champions Schalke moved six points clear of Paderborn at the top of the second division with three games left. Hanover are another point back and Elversberg two behind Paderborn in fourth.

The top two are directly promoted while the third placed team has a play-off tie against the third last team from the Bundesliga.

Schalke could clinch promotion next weekend when they host lowly Fortuna Dusseldorf and Paderborn visit Elversberg.

Schalke were a Bundesliga top team not so long ago and runners-up as recently as 2018. But they were relegated in 2021, returned for another year into the top flight and are back in the second tier since 2023.

They narrowly avoided relegation to the third tier last season but have rebounded strongly under new coach Miron Muslić whose Bosnian background also helped the club land Bosnian star striker Edin Džeko in a surprise January transfer.

Džeko has scored six goals before being sidelined with a shoulder injury since the end of March but Muslić has said he could return into the squad for the match against Dusseldorf.

There is also hope that Džeko, who was Bundesliga champion with Wolfsburg, twice Premier League winner with and also had terms at Roma and , will stay beyond summer if Schalke are promoted.