Schalke heads into its away game at Fortuna Düsseldorf with a lot of momentum. The situation is quite different for its opponents, who are in the midst of a deep crisis.
FC Schalke 04’s trips to Fortuna Düsseldorf for away games in the past two years were no pleasure trips.
S04 lost both games miserably – in times already plagued by crisis, while Fortuna was still fighting for promotion. Ahead of Schalke’s next away game on the Rhine this Friday (6:30 p.m./Sky), the omens have changed: Schalke comes to Düsseldorf as the league leader, while Düsseldorf is currently going through the biggest slump in its recent history.
On Sunday, another setback followed with a disappointing 1-2 defeat at relegation candidates Dynamo Dresden, which could have significant consequences. There is speculation about the imminent departure of sporting director Klaus Allofs. The 68-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season. According to the Rheinische Post (RP), an extension is now almost out of the question. Instead, a quick departure seems conceivable. No decision on Allofs’ future is expected on Monday. But according to the RP, it is possible that the experienced manager’s days are numbered before the end of this week – i.e., before the Schalke game. Sports director Christian Weber also has to fear for his job. Allofs’ contributions to the club in recent years are undisputed. However, criticism has been mounting recently: about the composition of the squad, the long retention of former coach Daniel Thioune, and the appointment of Markus Anfang as his successor. The performances were also mostly unsatisfactory. “We didn’t do enough in all areas today. That’s simply not enough to get points. It was a very important game, we were all aware of that. But to be successful, that’s far too little,” said defender Tim Oberdorf after Sunday’s defeat in Dresden.
Before the match against Schalke, Fortuna is only one point above the first relegation spot. The relegation contender could slip into the red zone this weekend. At the start of the week, Anfang canceled the team’s day off from training. And the rest of the week leading up to Friday’s match is also likely to be uncomfortable for everyone in Düsseldorf.