After the Dusseldorf disaster – stars and presidents ask for forgiveness

Second German League

It was 26 minutes to forget. Schalke 04 conceded three goals to Fortuna Düsseldorf in less than half an hour on Saturday. Karel Geraerts’ team was able to respond, but nothing could change the ninth defeat in the fourteenth match. Schalke lost 3-5 in Dusseldorf and finished 16th in the table as a result.

Players themselves found different ways to deal with sporting misery. Thomas Owegan, for example, was substituted in the 33rd minute and refused to shake his coach’s hand. As a result, he was demoted to U23 for a week. In general, the club tried to calm things down.

On Monday, the Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the players of the second-division team issued an apology in a letter to the club members.

Schalke professionals pledge to improve

The message read: “After our wonderful performance on Saturday evening, we would like to say a few words to you.” You are “very unhappy” with the current situation. “And even more: we’re ashamed of some of the performances of the last few months!”

After the match against Düsseldorf, everyone felt “disappointment, emptiness, anger and shame,” the “Members’ Special Message” continued. The first 30 minutes were “gratuitous”.

In the three matches that remain before the winter break, we will show a “different face.”The team confirmed. “None of us want to give a bad performance! None of us want to lose a match! None of us want to put the club in a bad light!”

Schalke 04: The club management admits mistakes

The club’s management also criticized itself, saying that the causes of the crisis were “multi-layered.” Mistakes have been made in team composition, players have not yet taken on their assigned role, and some of the structures that are supposed to support and strengthen them are not yet working properly.

The club’s management letter said: “As club management, we will do everything in our power to correct the undesirable developments during the winter break. We will also act decisively when considering possible changes in the team.”

Meanwhile, fans’ reactions to the apology were mixed. There are some comments below a post by Sky correspondent Dirk Gross-Schlarmann, the Schalke official who posted the message on X, previously Twitter.

One user wrote: “At least it’s a first step. Of course there’s no point in not performing well on the pitch. Only three points are awarded on Friday.” Other fans also point out that it is now important to translate words into action, although some doubt that the team wrote the message themselves.

“I’m excited,” writes another. “The positive thing is it can’t get any worse.”