Schalke heads into its away game at Fortuna Düsseldorf with a lot of momentum. The situation is quite different for the opponent, which is in the midst of a deep crisis.

FC Schalke 04’s away trips to Fortuna Düsseldorf over the past two years were anything but pleasant.

S04 lost both matches miserably—during a period already plagued by crisis, while Fortuna was still fighting for promotion in each instance. Ahead of Schalke’s next away game on the Rhine this Friday (6:30 p.m./Sky), the tables have turned: Schalke, the league leader, is visiting Düsseldorf, which is currently going through the lowest point in its recent club history.

On Sunday, a disappointing 1-2 loss to relegation-threatened Dynamo Dresden brought another setback that could have significant consequences. There is speculation about the imminent departure of sporting director Klaus Allofs. The 68-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season. As the Rheinische Post (RP) reports, a contract extension is now virtually out of the question.

Instead, a swift departure seems likely. No decision on Allofs’ future is expected on Monday. However, according to the RP, it’s possible that the experienced manager’s days are numbered as early as this week—that is, before the Schalke game. Sports director Christian Weber is also said to be worried about his job. While Allofs’ contributions to the club in recent years are undisputed, criticism has been mounting lately—regarding the squad composition, the prolonged retention of former coach Daniel Thioune, and the hiring of Markus Anfang as his successor.

This is because Anfang’s work—he has been in office for less than two months—is already being viewed critically. He has secured only one win in six games. The team’s performances have also been mostly unsatisfactory. “We didn’t do enough in any area today. That’s simply not enough to pick up points. This was a very important game—we were all aware of that. But to be successful, that’s far too little,” said defender Tim Oberdorf after Sunday’s loss in Dresden.

Ahead of the match against Schalke, Fortuna is just one point above the first relegation spot. This weekend, the team set to play in the relegation playoff could slip into the relegation zone. To kick off the week, Anfang canceled the team’s day off from training. And the time leading up to Friday’s match is also likely to be uncomfortable for everyone in Düsseldorf.