FC Schalke has eight games remaining in the 2. Bundesliga. The injury list remains long, but there are also some bright spots.

On Saturday (March 21, 8:30 p.m.), FC Schalke faces a top-of-the-table clash in the 2. Bundesliga when the Royal Blues, as league leaders, travel to second-place Darmstadt 98.

One thing is clear: if Darmstadt wins, they will overtake Schalke. With an S04 victory, Schalke would have distanced themselves by five points from a rival in the promotion race.

Schalke will have to do without star striker Edin Dzeko in this big match; he was sent off against Hannover 96 and will definitely be out. At least for this one game, perhaps even two games, if the appeal against the suspension is unsuccessful.

However, there was also good news from Gelsenkirchen. On Wednesday, right back Adrian Gantenbein, left back Anton Donkor, and attacking midfielder Christopher Antwi-Adjei were able to return to the Royal Blues’ team training and participate in parts of the session.
Mika Khadr will be out for a longer period. The center back was injured last Saturday during the U23 match in the Regionalliga West against FC Gütersloh in a tackle with an opponent. The ankle injury will require surgery.

Goalkeeper Johannes Siebeking had to be substituted early in the same match following a collision; he is taking a break from training this week to rest.

Schalke defender Tomas Kalas has since undergone surgery for a thigh injury. Also still injured are Dylan Leonard (ankle injury), Vitalie Becker (knee problems), Henning Matriciani (torn cruciate ligament), Finn Porath (thigh injury), Emil Højlund (Achilles tendon surgery), and Bryan Lasme (medial ligament injury).

FC Schalke’s remaining schedule at a glance

Darmstadt (A)

Karlsruher SC (H)

SV Elversberg (A)

Preußen Münster (H)

SC Paderborn (A)

Fortuna Düsseldorf (H)

1. FC Nürnberg (A) Eintracht Braunschweig (H)