FC Schalke was able to assess its performance when it secured a lucky win. That’s why the team is taking the 1-2 loss in Braunschweig in stride. The coach hadn’t lost his sense of humor either.
Despite the loss to close out the 2025 season, Schalke coach Miron Muslic hadn’t lost his sense of humor. When asked after the 1-2 loss at Eintracht Braunschweig what his first six months in Gelsenkirchen had done to him, he emphasized with a smile: “I came to Schalke without any gray hair; now people mistake me for Thomas Linke.”
The former Schalke player is now 55 years old and quite gray-haired. Muslic must have picked up a gray hair or two in Braunschweig as well, since things didn’t go well there, so after the loss he had to admit: “That was well deserved. We’re sportsmen who have to accept that. We weren’t good; Braunschweig was really good.”
Given his assessment after the match, S04 can only be glad that at least a short winter break is coming up. Because Muslic made it clear: “We’re running on fumes when you see how many players we’re missing. Thirteen players from the first team were available, some of whom couldn’t play for more than 30 minutes. Then at some point, you reach the point where nothing works anymore.”
And that point was reached in Braunschweig, yet Schalke still goes into the break in first place. It’s not certain whether new players will arrive in the winter. Instead, Muslic is hoping for other reinforcements. “I’d like to have a few guys back from my squad; then we’ll be in good shape.”
That’s what’s been proven so far. At the same time, the Schalke players always remain humble. Muslic explains: “We’re intact and have a good grasp of where we’re headed. We’re very happy. Hand on heart, who would have thought we’d be where we are this winter?”
Probably hardly anyone, which is why the assessment from S04 captain Kenan Karaman comes as no surprise; he told “Sky”: “We can be proud of our first half of the season. But we know that doesn’t get us anywhere. We’re recharging our batteries now and will be back in full force.”