According to a “Sport Bild” report, FC Schalke 04 will be left with an empty squad in the event of potential relegation.

Last weekend, FC Schalke 04 celebrated an important win against Hansa Rostock and overtook their direct rivals, who were relegated to the 3rd division.

Rostock reacted before the winter break and fired coach Alois Schwartz.

Schalke, on the other hand, have a somewhat broader chest going into their next match against SpVgg Greuther Fürth on Friday (December 15, 6:30 p.m.) after their away win at Hansa-Kogge. Ahead of the game against the in-form fourth-placed team (five wins and a draw recently), a report explains the importance of Schalke staying in the second division.

As reported by “Sport Bild”, not one player in the current squad has a contract for the 3rd division. This is normal for standard DFL contracts, to which the clubs can add an additional clause in the event of relegation to the 3rd division. Schalke’s management opted not to do so – even in the case of Keke Topp, who the report highlights and who could therefore leave S04 in the event of relegation despite the extension until 2025.

Players such as new signing Ron Schallenberg came to Gelsenkirchen in the summer with completely different goals than relegation, other contracts were negotiated or extended in the Bundesliga and are therefore still expensive

Relegation to the 3rd division would have serious financial consequences. The team’s salary costs would probably have to be more than halved, and it is questionable whether individual players would accept such losses. Should S04 actually drop down a league again after the season, they would be left without players.

This makes it all the more important to avoid relegation. With the victories in Rostock and against bottom team VfL Osnabrück (4:0), important direct duels were won and the trend is pointing upwards. A different team awaits Schalke on Friday with Greuther Fürth…