Schalke 04: Corona infection tarnishes hopes of promotion before the start of the second division

Shortly after the end of the European Football Championship, the national leagues are back in the starting blocks. While the Bundesliga professionals will only acclimate to the competition mode in the DFB Cup in two weeks, various traditional clubs are starting a thrilling second division season this weekend. Unlike in previous years, the three favorites from Hamburg, Gelsenkirchen and Bremen have no public demands for promotion before the start.

Understatement, caution and level-headedness prevail, especially with the two Bundesliga relegated teams, because some possible surprise teams also expect chances in the fight for the coveted Bundesliga places. “I cannot and will not promise you an immediate resurgence or victories in a row,” said Schalke’s sports director Peter Knäbel at the general meeting of the Revierclub, which will start on Friday (8.30pm / Sky and Sat.1) and meet Hamburger SV.

Schalke 04 is a clear favorite

The already defensively formulated Schalke promotion aspirations were further clouded at the beginning of the week. Regular goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann is canceled for the opening game due to a corona infection. The rest of the squad tested negative multiple times. But despite the short-term illness and the major upheaval in the squad, Schalke is considered a top team. The competitors see it that way too. “I believe that Schalke will be there,” said Werder Bremen’s new coach Markus Anfang. The advantage of Schalke is that the club was able to prepare for the second division early on.

In Bremen, the team will change in some positions until the transfer closes on August 31. Beginning warns against too high expectations. “We are simply not allowed to put promotion above rebuilding here,” said the 47-year-old, who has gained a lot of second division experience with Holstein Kiel, 1. FC Köln and Darmstadt 98.

Also at HSV, who lost their striker Simon Terodde to the competition from Schalke, the expectations after three fourth places and strong competition are a bit more modest. However, the new head coach Tim Walter is considered extremely ambitious. The former HSV trainer Frank Pagelsdorf believes that the pressure is no longer quite as strong, but the competition is all the more. “This will be the toughest second division season of all time. It has become immensely more attractive,” said the 63-year-old.

Who are the secret favorites?

The outsiders, secret favorites and surprise teams from Heidenheim, Nuremberg and St. Pauli are lurking behind the prominent trio. Almost half of the league relies on new coaches, especially young ones. The average age is around 41 years and seven coaches are under 40. Fortuna Düsseldorf, fifth in the second division of the previous season, has hired a 37-year-old head coach in Christian Preusser.

Preusser comes from the Freiburg football school and is promoted to the 3rd division with the second team of the SC. He can rise. “The league is very strong with well-known teams. We don’t want to hide, we are ambitious and want to play at the top right from the start,” said the Fortuna coach at his introduction.

“Challenging season” in Rostock

With the rise of the former Bundesliga club and GDR champions Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Dresden, two more traditional clubs are returning to the second division. This makes for additional attractiveness, but also worries the law enforcement officers. The attractiveness of the league will not make the stadiums full to the brim because a maximum of 25,000 spectators are currently allowed in the larger arenas, but even this contingent is not fully used. Nevertheless, the Rostock police, for example, have to prepare for at least seven so-called risk games. The police department on the Baltic coast said that the season was facing a “challenging season”.