Royal blue luck: Schalke celebrates return to the Bundesliga

The promotion party in the blue season of the home arena only ended in the early hours of the morning. With similar energy to the happy ending in the 3-2 drama over FC St. Pauli, the Schalke professionals let it rip. Match winner Simon Terodde and other competitors lasted the longest, happily making their way home shortly before 8.00 a.m.

Visibly moved, coach Mike Büskens, who went without sleep on that magical night, saw the return to the football upper house as a milestone in the eventful history of the cult club: “We will still be talking about this evening in a decade or two. I’m happy for this club, which has suffered a lot in recent years.”

Schalke's promotion hero with 29 goals: Simon Terodde. © ANSA / SASCHA STEINBACH

The morning after the event, which was moving for everyone at Schalke, Peter Knäbel still felt elated. “It’s still running down my spine now,” said the sports director at the TV station BILD . The joint celebration of the professionals and the fans banished all his worries of the past few weeks: “This united Schalke has found its strength and meaning again. Schalke is simply more. And we saw this more yesterday.” Sports director Rouven Schröder chose similarly pathetic words: “Schalke 04 is alive again.” Fans tear up the grass and goal nets As soon as the party night started, immediately after the final whistle, the immense pressure to succeed was released. Goal scorer Terodde sank on the grass and cried tears of joy. The approximately 2000 fans who stormed the pitch, much to the chagrin of the security forces, were initially euphoric in securing pieces of the turf and the goal nets. “It had to happen exactly the way it did today for the Schalke soul. “It’s unbelievable what’s going on here,” commented Schröder, who was wearing a T-shirt with the inscription “Glück Auf Steiger”.

A piece of lawn for the living room. © APA/afp / INA FASSBENDER

The course of the game was in keeping with the changeable season of the Revierclub, which appeared to be eighth in the table in December. After Igor Matanovic's early brace (9th/17th minute), the leaders were 0-2 down, but kept their nerve and made it after goals from Terodde (47th/foul penalty/71st) and the former St. Pauli- Professionals Rodrigo Zalazar (78th) perfected his fourth promotion to the Bundesliga. “The feeling is incredible. It was our dream. We had to fight for it, you don’t get it for free,” commented Büskens. A turbulent season This climb certainly wasn't easy. The long-overdue separation from main sponsor Gazprom after the war started by the Russians in Ukraine brought a lot of approval, but did little to help the already tense financial situation of the Revierclub. The fact that head coach Dimitrios Grammozis had to resign just a few days later after the 3-4 home defeat against Hansa Rostock also caused a sporting earthquake.

Rodrigo Zalazar shot Schalke to victory in the championship – and then celebrated with the fans. © APA/afp / INA FASSBENDER

Büskens' promotion from assistant coach to head coach, which was initially met with skepticism, turned out to be a smart move. Seven wins in eight games under the direction of the former professional paved the way back to regions befitting their status. “He has done an incredible job and is the face of this recovery,” praised Knäbel. According to Huub Stevens, revered in Gelsenkirchen as the coach of the century, who was in the stadium with his “Eurofighters” for the 25th anniversary of the UEFA Cup victory in 1997, Büskens is even a “guardian of Schalke culture”. Schalke is now an even more beautiful bride To Knäbel's delight, promotion, which was secured on the second-to-last match day, creates planning security. “Now we can prepare for the coming Bundesliga season and know what we have to do. That takes the pressure off,” said the sports director. For him and his fellow members of the Schalke management team, the search for a new coach and reinforcements has become easier: “Since yesterday evening we have become an even more beautiful bride.”

Who will accompany FC Schalke (62 points) into the Bundesliga will only be revealed on the last matchday. With a 3-0 win over relegated Aue, Werder Bremen (60) took second place in the table and can make everything clear with a draw at home against Regensburg. Even Hamburger SV (57), who had already been written off, can hope again after the 2-1 win over Hannover and the jump to third place. A success in Rostock would at least ensure relegation. Third in the group of other promotion candidates is SV Darmstadt, fourth in the table with the same points, who lost a better starting position with the 1:2 (0:2) in Düsseldorf.

	SP	TV	P
1. Bayer Leverkusen	31	77:22	81
2. Bayern Munich	31	89:38	69
3. VfB Stuttgart	31	70:38	64
4. RB Leipzig	31	73:35	62
5. Bor. Dortmund	31	59:39	57
6. Eintracht Frankfurt	31	47:42	45
View all

	SP	TV	P
1. FC St Pauli	31	57:33	63
2. Holstein Kiel	31	61:37	61
3. Fortuna Dusseldorf	31	65:36	56
4. Hamburger SV	31	59:42	52
5. Karlsruhe SC	31	62:45	49
6. Hannover 96	31	53:39	46
View all

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Royal blue luck: Schalke celebrates return to the Bundesliga

What a drama, what a mood! The furious 3-2 win over St. Pauli and the return to the football upper house breathes new life into the recently troubled FC Schalke. Planning for a better, more stable future begins the day after the party.

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