FC Schalke 04

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Mirko Slomka was not exactly a happy man after watching his Schalke side labour to a 1-1 draw with high-flying Hamburg.

The home side were restricted to chances from set-pieces and in the end were forced to settle for a point in a game where the visitors were the better side for large period sof the game.

"It felt like there were 50 free kicks out there, maybe more" quipped the Schalke trainer.

"After our difficult game on Tuesday against Chelsea in the Champions League, it was all about creating chances against a superbly organised side. Doing that via set-pieces was the best way" he explained.

The fact that the Königsblauen’s best chance fell to defender Benedikt Höwedes wasn’t missed by Slomka. "We would have liked to bring on an extra attacker, but we had all three on the pitch" he explained with reference to their injury crisis.

"So we made our changes in midfield because the players had run so much today and on Tuesday."

"We can’t however be completely happy with a point at home against a direct competitor" Slomka admitted.

Goal.com - Germany - Slomka Accepts Schalke Point

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Finally it's getting a little crowded at Schalke 04's practice facility. With Kevin Kuranyi, Christian Pander, Mesut Özil, Gustavo Varela, and Levan Kobiashvili five regulars returned to practice.

Still head coach Mirko Slomka had to deal with some bad news: Jermaine Jones and Carlos Grossmüller had to stop practice early.

Setback for Jones

"Jermaine looked very good yesterday, but experienced some pain today," Slomka said. Despite the setback the coach believes his midfield motor finds a way to play on Saturday at Hannover 96. "We have a lot of time to work on Jermaine's comeback".

Grossmüller couldn't finish the practice session due to a contusion.

No problems for Kuranyi

The total opposite could be said of Kevin Kuranyi. The striker had a good practice session with the team, showing no problems after tearing a muscle a few weeks ago. He might be an option for Saturday. "Mesut Özil has some minor pain, but I also believe he will be good to go against the 96ers," Slomka explained.

Gustavo Varela might have to sit on Saturday after sustaining a torn muscle last weekend, but his coach expects him to be with the team when Schalke plays Valencia in the Champions League.

Manuel Neuer and Benedikt Höwedes returned from their trip to Luxemburg, where they played for Germany's U 21-national team. "Manuel got tackled pretty hard by a Luxemburg player, so I was a little concerned about his status. But he is fine", a relieved Slomka acknowledged.

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Bundesliga, Matchday 14 PREVIEW
Hannover 96 - FC Schalke 04

96 have dropped to sixth place after their six-match unbeaten run came to an end with defeat in Berlin.

"Schalke are not exactly at the top of their form at the moment. Playing at home, with the fans behind us, we'll be looking to keep the points here", Hanover's Christian Schulz told bundesliga.de.

Schalke are in seventh place and have failed to win any of their last five Bundesliga matches.

"I'm looking forward to the match because I can see that the team are fired up to get going again", Schalke coach Mirko Slomka commented.

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Hannover 2 - 3 Schalke

17' [1 - 0] S. Huszti (pen.)
41' [1 - 1] K. Kuranyi
50' [1 - 2] K. Kuranyi
52' [2 - 2] S. Huszti
61' [2 - 3] H. Altintop

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After going five straight without a win, Schalke 04 is finally back on the bright side. The comeback of its now healthy offence secured a win at Hannover.

Returning from a muscle injury Kevin Kuranyi bagged a brace in Schalke's 3-2 (1-1) victory at Hannover 96, scoring shortly before and right after the half (41st, 50th minute). Halil Altintop scored the game-winner just eleven minutes later.

The team from Gelsenkirchen moved up into the upper third of the standings, while Hannover lost two straight for the first time this season. Hungarian striker Szabolcs Huszti scored both goals for the 96ers (17th, 53rd).

Huszti scored on a penalty shot

Schalke's coach Mirko Slomka, who has never lost at Hannover, left his 4-3-3 system behind, playing Mesut Özil and Ivan Rakitic on the outside behind his strikers Gerald Asamoah and Kuranyi. Right from the start his team showed improvement. After five minutes Özil had the chance for a quick strike. Hannover's goalkeeper Robert Enke saved the shot.

In front of a crowd of 49,000 Hannover had trouble moving the ball. But after 15 minutes Mike Hanke took his heart in his hands. He ran through Schalke's defence before passing the ball to Huszti. The striker got fouled by Zlatan Bajramovic in the penalty box. Huszti converted the penalty shot, giving the home site the lead.

Schalke didn't back down though. And after a corner kick Kuranyi scored the equalizer. Shortly after the break Hannover's defence looked lost on a pass from the right side and Kuranyi scored his second of the game.

Schalke keeps streak alive

The 96ers, wanting to end the black streak of six straight winless games against Schalke, tied the game. Schalke's keeper Manuel Neuer didn't look too good on that one.

But Altintop kept Schalke's streak alive, scoring in the 61st minute.

Next weekend Schalke hosts Bochum in one of Bundesliga's biggest rivalries, while Hannover travels to Rostock.

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Schalke trainer Mirko Slomka left the AWD Arena a happy man after seeing his side win a topsy-turvy game 3-2.

The win is just what he had demanded before the game, when he laid down a challenge for the Königsblauen to win all four of their games running up to the winter break.

Despite going behind to a Szabolcs Huszti penalty, two goals from Kevin Kuranyi and a third from Halil Altintop sealed a valuable three points for the ‘Knappen’.

“We got into the game quickly, combined well and created a number of good chances. Unfortunately we were unable to take the lead.

“Despite that we didn’t lose our cool because we believed in our own qualities. In the end we fully deserved our win.”

Hannover trainer Dieter Hecking was forced to admit his side were second best on the afternoon.

“I have to pay a huge compliment to my team for their contribution to the game. However, Schalke deserved their victory, because they had the better chances.

“Schalke have qualities that my team just don’t possess.”

Goal.com - Germany - Slomka Delighted With Hannover Win

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The mood at FC Schalke 04 is a very confident one heading into the Champions League match up against FC Valencia on Wednesday.

Captain Marcelo Bordon and strikers Kevin Kuranyi and Halil Altintop underscored two days before the match that Schalke are intent on winning.

"We're going into Valencia to get three points", explained Schalke's top player. The 0-1 defeat in the first leg against the team currently in sixth place in the Spanish Primera Division has motivated the S04: "We are totally focussed on the match on Wednesday."

Kuranyi: Some presssure in Valencia is good

Kevin Kuranyi, who shined with two goals against Hannover 96 this past weekend, sees the Spanish team as unpredictable. "They beat us and lost twice against Rosenborg. That wasn't necessarily what you would have predicted", said Schalkes number 22.

The match is thus accompanied by a degree of pressure. The German international striker sees this as a positive for S04: "It was also a must win for us in Hannover. And the whole team stepped up and we won. We want to repeat that in the Champions League."

Jones is back

Midfielder Jermaine Jones has returned to training camp after nursing an ankle injury.

Head coach Mirko Slomka welcomed the news: "He has become a real leading player for us in past weeks."

Carlos Grossmüller was also back in training. Players definitely out for Schalke are Christian Pander (knee), Levan Kobiashvili (adductor), Mathias Abel (knee), Gustavo Varela (torn muscle) as well as Markus Heppke (shoulder).

Team line-ups:

Valencia: Canizares - Miguel, Albiol (Marchena), Helguera, Caneira - Albelda, Edu - Joaquin, Silva, Vicente - Villa

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Westermann - Jones (Bajramovic), Ernst - Özil, Rakitic - Halil Altintop, Kuranyi

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

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Schalke drew 0-0 at Mestalla to keep their hopes alive for the qualification in the next phase.

Their destiny is in their own hands now.

A win against Rosenborg next week at home means they go through.

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Schalke 04 keep their Champions League hopes alive with a goalless draw at Spanish side FC Valencia.

A win over Rosenborg on December 11 would clinch qualification for the knock-out stages for the very first time.

Albelda sent off

It could have been even better for the "Royal Blues". Valencia had to play with ten men for most of the match after David Albelda had received his marching orders for a foul on Rafinha (32).

The hosts now need a result away at Chelsea to qualify for the round of 32 in the UEFA Cup, qualification for the Champions League's last 16 is out of reach for the Spaniards.

Convincing goalkeepers

Just 25,000 fans had turned up in the Estadio Mestalla after Valencia had lost five out of eight home matches this season.

Schalke shaded the first half and Santiago Canizares in the Valencia goal had to be on his toes to deny Kevin Kuranyi (20) and Fabian Ernst (29).

His S04 counterpart Manuel Neuer was called into action in first-half injury time and kept out efforts from David Villa and Carlos Marchena.

Altintop too undecided

A counter-attacking move then created a good chance for Halil Altintop (52), but the Schalke striker didn't make the most of it.

Still Schalke were good value for the draw, but they will have to make do without Jermaine Jones against Rosenborg after the booked midfielder picked up a suspension.

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Schalke's fate is in their own hands: victory over Rosenborg Trondheim will put them into the Champions League knockout phase for the first time.

S04's 0-0 draw in Valencia ended any hopes the Spanish side had of progressing from Group B, and with Chelsea winning 4-0 in Trondheim, Schalke now trail the Norwegians by two points in the race for second place.

The scoreless draw also meant that the Gelsenkirchen side have now gone 271 minutes in the Champions League without finding the net.

"Poor performance"

While Schalke came away with the point they were looking for, sporting director Andreas Müller admitted that, "We never settled into our own rhythm", adding that there was "a lot of sloppiness - we performed poorly in many areas."

That notwithstanding, the club are now in the position they hoped to find themselves in - seeking a home win on 11 December to put them into the knockout phase of the competition at the third time of asking.

"A scrappy 1-0 win will do us. We'd rather qualify with only three goals scored than go out after scoring twelve", said Müller, in reference to Schalke's Champions League elimination two seasons ago. Then, they finished third in their group despite scoring a dozen goals and playing some exciting offensive football.

Record beckons

This time around, they have managed only two goals in 450 minutes of action, the worst return, along with Valencia, of any side in the competition, but still have everything left to play for.

If they do indeed qualify on the back of a 1-0 win, they will share with Villareal (2005-2006) the dubious distinction of being the only side to qualify from the Champions League group stages having scored a paltry three goals - a record-equalling feat the club could certainly live with.

Slomka satisfied

"We're in a good position to do it now", said coach Mirko Slomka. While satisfied with the result, Slomka was all too aware of the shortcomings in his side's performance, saying "With a bit more initiative we could well have won the game." In which case only a draw would have been required against Trondheim.

But in an hour of play against ten men, after Valencia captain David Albelda was sent off in the 32nd minute, Schalke created just one clear scoring opportunity, Halil Altintop stumbling when through on goal seven minutes into the second half. In the end, in fact, Valencia almost grabbed a stoppage-time winner themselves through David Silva.

"We got away with a black eye", summarized Müller, admitting to a measure of surprise at his club's fortune: "It's certainly unusual to be on five points, with only two goals scored and still be in with a chance of qualifying."

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BORDON LOOKING FOR CHRISTMAS CHEER

Defender Marcelo Bordon claims Schalke will stick to their promise and win every game until Christmas.

The Royal Blues come off a rather disappointing Champions League trip to Valencia who held them to a scoreless draw despite playing with 10 men for almost an hour.

Even though the result will allow Schalke to advance to the knock-out stages with a win over Rosenborg in their final qualifier, their fans have grown unhappy with their performances.

Ranked sixth with 22 points, Schalke are already nine points shy of league leaders Bayern Munich.

"A victory against Bochum is the top priority," Bordon said. "We have promised to win the remaining matches this year - even a draw would not be enough."

Business manager Andreas Muller also warned his players to raise their games as early as against Bochum.

"We have been far from convincing thus far," he said. "We need to play better. There is a lot at stake in the Champions League and the Bundesliga."

Levan Kobiashvili (groin), Mathias Abel (anterior cruciate ligament) and Gustavo Varela (thigh) are all battling with injuries.

SportingLife

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Bundesliga, Matchday 15 PREVIEW
Schalke 04 - VfL Bochum

Schalke are winless in their last three home games, and have won only one of their last six Bundesliga games. Last season, the S04 defense held opponents scoreless 14 times; this year, only three times so far. Bochum meanwhile have won the past three games, scoring ten goals, five of them in the first five minutes of games (the most in the league).

Bochum hope Schalke will buckle under the strain, after their scoreless draw with FC Valencia in Champions League play this week. "If we get any chances, we have to take them in order to make a surprise possible, said VfL coach Marcel Koller.

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Schalke 1 - 0 Bochum

32' [1 - 0] M.J. Bordon

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With their third Derby win of the season, Schalke 04 have made progress in the catch up race in the Bundesliga. Schalke defeated VfL Bochum 1-0 (1-0). They now only need five points to earn a spot in the Champions League.

The third success against their rivals came on the back of a 4-1 win against Borussia Dortmund and a 2-0 victory against MSV Duisburg.

For Bochum, their meteoric rise has been momentarily grounded. After three straight wins, Marcel Koller's squad missed the chance to tie a club record of four straight set in 1980.

The only score of the match came from captain Marcelo Bordon, who headed the ball in for what would be the deciding goal in the 32nd minute after a corner kick by Ivan Rakitic.