Cedric Brunner addresses the Schalke fans with emotional words of farewell. Fans from two clubs are already courting the defender.
Cedric Brunner was no longer granted a farewell game in a Schalke 04 shirt. The 30-year-old defender was no longer in the S04 squad for the 2-0 defeat in Fürth, so he was unable to say goodbye to the supporters in person. Instead, he addressed a few words via Instagram to the fans, who he has obviously taken to his heart.
“You have traveled all over Germany in difficult times and have supported us, cheered us on and encouraged us,” wrote the Swiss. “I was able to experience the passion, the emotion and the strength that carries this club. This solidarity has shaped me and changed my understanding of passion and loyalty.” Brunner is certain: with fans like these behind him, Schalke 04 can “only go uphill”.
The right-back wore the Schalke 04 shirt for two years (47 games). A time that he describes as “incredibly emotional, exhausting, full of highs and lows”. The experience pushed him to his limits. In his first season with the Royal Blues, Brunner was a permanent fixture, but despite a strong second half of the season, Schalke were relegated to the Bundesliga 2.
In the summer of 2023, he was even considered a candidate for the team council or even the captaincy at Schalke 04 due to his solid performances – but the past second division season was disappointing for him. Minor injuries repeatedly slowed Brunner down, he lacked rhythm and his performances were no longer as stable as they had been in the Bundesliga. At times, he lost his regular place. “Even though I wasn’t able to support the team as much as I would have liked last season, I’m still very grateful to have been part of this unique club,” he writes about the past few months.
What happens next for Cedric Brunner remains to be seen. The Swiss has not yet found a new club. But if his fans in the Instagram comment column are anything to go by, he could be heading back to one of his former clubs. Both supporters of FC Zurich and fans of Arminia Bielefeld would like to see the defender return. Strikingly, Brunner also likes these comments, marking them with a little heart – an indication of intentions to switch clubs or just politeness? That will probably remain the ex-Schalker’s secret for the time being