Time for a closer look at our opponents:
Position
The campaign to date has seen Schalke clock up the least number of points for 17 years. However, they are just four points away from seventh place that would ensure qualification for the Europa League if Borussia Dortmund win the DFB Cup. So the Royal Blues have not given up hope of returning to the European stage next term – even though the club is still recovering from the Europa League exit against Ajax at the quarter-final stage of the competition.
Personnel
Schalke have struggled with injury problems throughout the current campaign. At the start of the campaign, new star signing Breel Embolo was ruled out for the whole season with Abdul Rahman Baba, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Naldo also unavailable for a long time. They are joined on the sidelines by probably the best Schalke player this term as Leon Goretzka suffered concussion and an injured jaw against Ajax. The youngster Thilo Kehrer is currently serving a suspension.
Potential
In addition to Goretzka, Guido Burgstaller, signed from FC Nürnberg, has been a stand-out player since the winter break. In last weekend’s 1-1 draw away to RB Leipzig, he made his first start alongside Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who is in his seventh, and disrupted, year at Schalke. He celebrated his return against Leipzig with an impressive strike and he could be the X-factor in the season run-in. He definitely shows no lack of motivation in spite of the threat of relegation: “I’ll continue to be ambitious to my dying day,” he declared recently.
Problems
The team coached by Markus Weinzierl has failed to make the most of their matches on the road this season. Across all competitions, the Royal Blues have only won one of the last eight games away from home and three of the last four Bundesliga games are not in Gelsenkirchen.
Prediction
If Schalke overcome their indifferent away form and go on a run they could still end up in a Europa League spot. The match at Bayer 04 is followed by games against Freiburg, Hamburg and Ingolstadt that could be seen as an easier prospect compared with their many rivals. So the Schalke fans cannot give up hope just yet. Of course, a defeat at the BayArena would certainly change the outlook for the Royal Blues.
After being nominated for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025, Martin Terrier's wonderful strike for the opener against FC Köln is now also up for selection for the ARD Sportschau Goal of the Month award for December 2025. Bayer 04 fans have until 19:00 CET on 10 January to vote for the French forward.
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"In every ending lies a new beginning" is a well-known saying. This phrase has probably never been more apt at Bayer 04. After winning the Bundesliga in 2023/24 and finishing as runners-up in 2024/25, the summer was the most eventful ever in terms of transfers. Over ten players and the coach, including the coaching staff, left the club. A lot of the heroes of the double-winning side began a new chapter. It was the end of an era. And at the same time the beginning of a new, very exciting and promising chapter for Leverkusen. The Werkself welcomed more than a dozen new arrivals, including experienced title-winners and young talents, to build a new "foundation for a successful team capable of winning titles" under the Bayer Cross, as managing director sport Simon Rolfes put it. A new spirit, a new hunger, a new story was to be created. Bayer04.de looks back at the first few months of this story and the final act of the preseason.
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43 points at the end of the last Bundesliga season were not only more than ever before for the Bayer 04 Women, but also led to a record fourth-place finish. That was followed by a Hinrunde with many more victories, but also some setbacks. In an interview with bayer04.de, sporting director Achim Feifel takes stock at the end of the year.
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With their wonderful goals, Martin Terrier and Florian Wirtz are up for the Bundesliga Goal of the Year 2025. Voting for fans will run exclusively via the official Bundesliga app until Sunday, 4 January.
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