Keke Topp is considered by many S04 fans to be a striker hope for the Bundesliga. He did not have a good day in the 1:1 against Bayer Leverkusen. Thomas Reis, of all people, was watching.

With eight goals, Keke Topp is the most prolific striker in FC Schalke 04’s U19 team. The S04 centre forward has also scored five times in five international matches for the U19 national team.

Many of the fans of the Königsblauen are therefore calling for the youngster to be used in the Bundesliga team of the Knappen, as the regular strikers have proven to be less successful so far this season.

But in the last two games at 1. FC Köln and against Bayer Leverkusen, of all places, the bulky centre forward became a tragic figure. In Cologne, he missed a penalty after 23 minutes that would have meant a 1-1 draw with the direct rivals in the battle for the top two places leading to participation in the final round of the German championship. Schalke lost the game 0:1.

And also on Sunday, he missed a penalty kick three minutes before the end, which would probably have given the Schalke team the victory. Topp placed the penalty, which was his fault, too much in the middle, so that Leverkusen goalkeeper Maximilian Neutgens had no problem deflecting the ball.

In front of the eyes of new head coach Thomas Reis of all people, who was himself a coach at VfL Bochum and VfL Wolfsburg U19, and co-coach Mike Büskens, Topp did not cut a good figure during the game either. A few minutes before the penalty, he had another chance to score the winning goal. Here, too, he failed quite clear of Neutgens.

I’m not angry about that, but I would have liked one of the other two shooters to maybe grab the ball and say ‘I’ll take responsibility’.

Norbert Elgert

Schalke coach Norbert Elgert was generally annoyed after the game about too many missed scoring chances, but did not want to blame Topp because of the penalty. “Keke shoots at the goalkeeper and misses a penalty. I’m not angry about that, but I would have liked one of the other two shooters to maybe grab the ball and say: `I take responsibility’,” Elgert said. “But well, on the other hand, it’s brave to dare. We won’t make an act out of that either. That’s part of it.”

But whether the centre-forward, who switched to S04 from SV Werder Bremen’s U17s and who already has one second-league appearance to his name, born out of necessity, is actually ready to play in the Bundesliga must be in doubt after the game. “I don’t think anyone recommended himself against Leverkusen,” Elgert explained. If someone is ready, he will also exchange ideas with those responsible. Just as he has always done.