Schalke 04 experiences the next debacle. At SC Paderborn, S04 loses 1:3 (0:1) after the change of coach. The fans can’t take any more.

Only 55 minutes had been played, actually the professionals of FC Schalke 04 would have had a long time to turn around the deficit at SC Paderborn, but the travelling fans of the Königsblauen stopped supporting.

They sang nothing more, they did not even whistle, desperate for the next disappointing performance, even after the change of coach from Thomas Reis to Matthias Kreutzer on Wednesday. The Schalkers lost with 1:3 (0:1), highly deserved, and the fall to a direct relegation place is threatening.

The change of coach at Schalke had prompted Paderborn coach Lukas Kwasniok to take an unusual measure. Only an hour before kick-off, after he had seen the line-up of the Königsblauen, he asked for the final team meeting – he could not have guessed how big Kreutzer’s rebuilding work would be.

Schalke with three changes

Kwasniok’s speech must not have lasted long – because Kreutzer stuck to the basic order of his predecessor. Schalke defended with a back four and attacked up front with two attacking wingers and centre-forward Sebastian Polter. In the starting eleven, Tomas Kalas, Bryan Lasme and Assan Ouédraogo came into the team for Timo Baumgartl (released), Lino Tempelmann and Yusuf Kabadaydi (both on the bench). That ensured four shots on goal in the first 15 minutes, which were not great, but at least passable.