FC Schalke 04

[Vargas_4]

Schalke captain Marcelo Bordon is confident of making his second appearance in the Champions League as his side prepare to face Porto in the first knock-out stage.

The Königsblauen are the sole surviving German representative in this season’s competition and Bordon believes the first leg at the Veltins Arena holds the key to Schalke progressing any further.

“I’ve been in the quarter-finals once before with Stuttgart, but Schalke have never reached that stage before so it would something really special to get there this year” he explained.

“Porto are a team full of talent and experience. They have top strikers, but from watching their 2-0 defeat to Sporting, I noticed that you could get on top of them by playing aggressively and not letting them play their own game” he added.

“I would rate our chances at 50:50, and no question we need to win the home leg, then anything is possible.

“It is important that we don’t concede an away goal. Normally a 1-0 win is enough, but we have to play the game with our heads, be intelligent and have a strategy.

“I believe we will then be able to put in a performance in Portugal as we did in Valencia in the group stage.”

[Vargas_4]

I'm sure Schalke will put up a fight against Porto. They seem really determined to make this first leg count. We'll see what happens.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Vargas_4

I'm sure Schalke will put up a fight against Porto. They seem really determined to make this first leg count. We'll see what happens.

We're without Bosingwa, which is huge blow, he's one of our most influential players (like Rafinha is for Schalke).

But we're in good form atm, our 3 legends (Quaresma-Lucho-Lisandro) are fit for this match, so I'm pretty sure we can at least score a goal and draw this match.

Our CL experience will put us through

[Trim]

Champions League participants Schalke will play their 100th match in Europe against Porto tonight, but there's hardly any anticipation yet.

The "Royal Blues" take a cautious approach ahead of their round of 16 first leg date with the Portuguese champions (20:45).

"We have to be careful that we don't blow our chances", midfielder Fabian Ernst warned, the upcoming Bundesliga matches against Bayer Leverkusen and FC Bayern in mind, too.

"We have to improve"

"We have to improve in every area", skipper Marcelo Bordon demanded after the 2-1 home defeat at the hands of VfL Wolfsburg.

"A win and a clean sheet, that would be perfect", Andreas Müller said. But Schalke's sporting director knows that the last clean sheet dates back to December 1 (1-0 over VfL Bochum).

Individual mistakes

"We have the quality", Müller insists, "it's more about concentration and individual mistakes."

Coach Mirko Slomka stresses that "individual mistakes have been punished with goals, again and again." Schalke have let slip a 1-0 lead no less than eight times this season.

Jones returns

At least Schalke had been able to keep three clean sheets in the group stage, and Jermaine Jones' return to the midfield should provide more stability.

Line-ups as expected:

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Westermann - Ernst, Jones - Rakitic, Kobiaschwili - Asamoah, Kuranyi

Porto: Helton - Fucile, Pedro Emanuel, Bruno Alves, Cech - Lucho Gonzalez, Paulo Assuncao, Meireles - Sektioui, Lopez, Quaresma

Referee: Laurent Duhamel (France)

[Vargas_4]

A third minute strike from Kevin Kuranyi was enough for Schalke to defeat a sluggish Porto outfit at the Veltins Arena...

Schalke 1 - 0 Porto

The hosts ultimately deserved their lead against a Porto side that took far too long to get going and, when they did, wasted their golden opportunity. Die Knappen meanwhile, created their chances and managed to take one - indeed, their first one.

Schalke started well up the flanks, and within three minutes their adventurous nature had brought them a lead.

But it came down the middle, with a tremendous triangular passing move sees Jones play the intelligent Rafinha through for a shot on goal. The 'keeper should have held it, but instead parried it straight ahead for the run of Kuranyi, who slammed home from the edge of the area.

In short, the goal itself wasn't pretty, but the setup must certainly was. Suddenly, Porto had a job on their hands.

Porto looked extremely nervous in the early stages, with Rafinha making hay up the flanks with little by way of opposition. The Dragões themselves, in fact, were scarcely able to get the ball over the halfway line.

Meanwhile, Schalke's pressure continued. Krstajic's deep free-kick, when nodded across goal, was poorly dealt with by Helton Da Silva, but poor control in the box let the Germans down when they might have capitalised. In any case, the 'keeper was eventually able to recover.

On the quarter hour mark, Helton again redeemed himself after racing off his line to beat Rakitic to Kuranyi's through ball.

Porto then shoewd that they weren't quite out of it with their first real effort on goal on the break. Quaresma found himself free to shoot 25 yards out, but he dragged his shot well wide.

But it was still Schalke that always seemed to have the man free, with their short passing being a joy to watch at times, even if Asamoah was muscled off the ball most of the time at the end.

Rakitic showed his class soon afterwards, seizing on a loose ball out on the left, striding past Pedro Emanuel and then firing in at the near post, forcing a good save from Helton. The lad himself took the corner, which, despite flashing across goal, was eventually cleared.

Porto had a great chance to get back into it 20 minutes in, Lisandro being tripped on the edge of the box by Kobiashvili. But as if to sum up his side's evening, Quaresma stung the kick straight off the wall.

After more Schalke pressure, Porto showed once more that they were far from out of it, with a long ball springing the offside pass. As Neuer stood motionless, the defence - Bordon in particular - had to be alert to swipe the ball away for a corner with Farias closing in.

But there was trouble at both ends, for on the half hour mark, Kuranyi was put clean through on the break, but was unable to dribble past the defenders quite enough to threaten.

Five minutes later, Westermann's fine run up the left eventually bore fruit with the ball working its way out to Kuranyi. The defence was nowhere near the forward, meaning that Helton again had to get down low to tip the ball out for a corner. This set-piece, though, came to nothing.

Soon afterwards, a fine passing move across goal found Rakitic again trying the narrow-angled shot, but this time he blasted over when a cross may have been more prudent.

Just before the break, Asamoah - who had been quiet until then - finally found his first touch to control the ball and once again test Helton with a long-ranger, with the defence once again unable to close down a quick Schalke attack.

Still, 1-0 it ended at the break, with Porto clearly second-best in every respect. Creatively, they lacked, other than at isolated moments, and in defence they lacked the anticipation or indeed the width to deal with their hosts.

Second Half

Porto started in slightly better form, with some long-range efforts almost troubling Neuer. However, the most dramatic moment of the first half came as Asamoah appeared to elbow Fucile. The referee, though, gave both a talking to and let play continue. Was it the right decision? It could be, at least given that Fucile had been guilty of shirt-pulling beforehand.

Something had to give, and it was Farias, who trudged off to be replaced by Sektioui as Porto looked to surprise the visitors, who were now defending deep with four stoppers and two central players to prevent Porto's long-range efforts.

Kuranyi then had a golden chance just before the hour mark as Porto's defence once again failed to distinguish itself. Rakitic swing in a cross from the right, but the striker - who had shown predatory instinct earlier in the game - opted to sclaff at the ball with his foot instead of merely stooping to head it past the onrushing Helton.; A poor decision, and one that cost his side a goal.

However, that showed that Porto's substitution had had the opposite effect as intended, as the Germans enjoyed a fine period of ascendancy. Indeed, on a chance to get back into it, Quaresma and Assuncao wasted what could have been a fine move to equalise on the break. By holding up play, though, Quaresma squandered it.

Overall, the game was slowing down, although the impressive Ernst picked up a booking after a poor challenge on Lopez, and Porto knew that they now had slightly more leeway in the middle.

Not that they could do much with it. Instead, the game was breaking down in the midfield, with neither side doing much by way of attacking. Indeed, even when Asamoah managed to whip a ball in on the left, he found no takers among his exhausted troops.

Still, Ivan Rakitic made way for Grossmuller, and Schalke had a renewed source of energy. Grossmuller and Asamoah then linked up well on the right, but nothing came of their cross.

Out of nothing at the other end, though, Meireles launched a speculative 20-yarder that caught Neuer by surprise, although the 'keeper was able to punch it clear.

Then, Schalke's exhausted defence so nearly gave it all away.

To be fair, Meireles' deep cross from the right was fantastic, and Lucho Gonzalez's tipped pass to Quaresma up the left was just as timely. The winger then put in perhaps his first real killer ball of the game, playing it across goal for Lisandro... who somehow - he doesn't know how, and nor did the crowd - slid in and deflected the ball wide when it seemed easier to score.

What a let-off for Schalke, and coach Slomka knew it. On came Altintop for Asamoah in an attempt to add some fresh legs and hold the ball up.

The pace of the game had begun to decline, with only the odd cross from Lopez or Kobiashvili coming anywhere near troubling the 'keepers.

Indeed, it spoke volumes for the disjointed nature of the closing periods that Grossmuller came closest with what was actually a cross, but one that Helton had to be aware of in any case.

Then, right at the death, Porto wasted another chance as a fine forward flashed right across goal, with Bruno Alves being unable to find the header after rising so well.

Thus it ended 1-0, with the hosts taking an advantage - albeit a narrow one - to the dragon's den for the next leg.

[Vargas_4]

Good result for Schalke.

They were lucky not to concede an equalizer. Where a dude recieved a cross in front of goal but was unable to aim towards goal, since he had to strech to connect the ball. Though the defence looked shaky at the end. Something they can't afford at all in Portugal, where they will be punished by it.

Their best chance now is to go to Portugal and play smart as they did in the opening minutes.

My advice is try to get an away goal and to "park the bus". If they consider a head-to-head clash, they're way over their heads. It's Porto's stadium. They'll be pressured by the crowd. Not a pretty situation.

Overall, Schalke can achive something if they play their cards correctly.

[Vargas_4]

Schalke trainer Mirko Slomka was left delighted with the “desired result” as the Königsblauen ran out 1-0 winners in their first leg clash with Portuguese side Porto at the Veltins Arena.

A fourth minute strike from Kevin Kuranyi proved enough to give the German side a lead to take to Portugal for the second leg.

“We have achieved our desired result” Slomka said after the final whistle.

“In the first 45 minutes we had good chances to make it 2-0. In the second half, Porto played very well. They pushed us further back so I’m delighted that we didn’t concede an away goal” he added.

Striker Gerald Asamoah agreed that it was a hard night’s work for the Königsblauen.

“It was hard work. Porto are not a bad team so we have to be happy with the 1-0 win. The important thing is that we didn’t concede a goal.”

Schalke travel to the Estadio Dragao in two weeks knowing that they hold the upper hand, particularly if they can grab the away goal that Porto didn’t.

[Vargas_4]

Schalke captain Marcelo Bordon believes his side have a great chance of making it through to the quarter finals of the Champions League after their 1-0 win over Porto in the home leg last night.

A fourth minute strike from Kevin Kuranyi proved enough to secure the win, with Porto disappointing on the night with Lisandro Lopez wasting their only real clear cut chance in the second half.

“It was great that we didn’t concede” Bordon said after the game. The Königsblauen had been under a great deal of pressure prior to the game so the result pleased the Brazilian even more.

“The best thing is that we achieved our goal that we worked the whole week for. We stood firm and didn’t really allow them any chances.

“Although there were a lot of good things, many things could have gone better, but if we play the same way in the second leg as we did in the second half, then we shouldn’t have a problem.

“We just need to play intelligently in Porto, then we’ll have a huge chance of going through.”

[Trim]

I watched the whole first half (couldn't watch second half due to some difficulties with satellite), and (talking only about the first half) Schalke dominated.

Porto looked lost, they were just a shadow of theirselves. Quaresma, Lucho & Co. couldn't do anything.

Schalke kept attacking often, though their attacks weren't very dangerous.

Porto didn't attack often, but when they did, they were very dangerous. Schalke were a little bit lucky not to concede, but also, Porto were lucky not to concede more from S04.

1-0 is a good win, but that's all. The tie is far from settled.

Schalke have a chance to go through, they can do it.

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Bundesliga, Matchday 21 | PREVIEW
Bayer Leverkusen - FC Schalke 04

A Champions league spot is at stake when the currently fourth and fifth ranked Bundesliga teams face off. Both clubs enter the match weary from their international play, but each also take a certain momentum off the back of recent wins, Leverkusen in their suprising 5-1 win over Galatsaray in the UEFA Cup and Schalke in their hard-earned 1-0 success against FC Porto in the Champions League.

Leverkusens Gonzalo Castro expects a tough match against 04. "Schalke is a very strong team that plays strong on the road and can be dangerous with counters", said Castro in an interview with bundesliga.de.

The past three matches against Leverkusen do not bode well for Schalke: one draw, two defeats. But Fabian Ernst isn't superstitious: "Most of the time, we dominated the matches but simply didn't convert our advantage into points", said Schalkes midfielder.

Slomka has a clear goal in mind for his club in the BayArena: "A win would be very important, because then the top three places in the league remain in reach", said the 40 year-old coach.

As in the UEFA Cup, Bayer will be without goalie Rene Adler, who will be replaced by back-up Benedikt Fernandez. Otherwise only Dmitri Bulykin will miss the game due to a knee injury.

Schalke also come into the match nearly completely healthy. Only Markus Heppke (shoulder) and Zlatan Bajramovic (toe) will not play on account of injury. Carlos Grossmüller will have to continue to sit the bench with a red card suspension.

First leg: 1-1

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Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 0 Schalke

85' [1 - 0] M. Friedrich

Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Schalke

Despite their midweek win over Porto, Schalke slumped to their second consecutive league defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen, who go third.

The quality of the game didn’t match up to the top billing and was settled late on thanks to a blunder from Schalke keeper Neuer.

The game was settled in the home team’s favour thanks to a goal five minutes from time by Manuel Friedrich. The defender looked to cross from the right towards Schneider but his mis-hit cross travelled further and further and ended up landing in the far corner of the goal for an unlikely goal. Neuer really should have done better.

[Vargas_4]

Schalke trainer Mirko Slomka was left shocked by his side’s second successive league defeat, which came thanks to a freak goal from Leverkusen defender Manuel Friedrich late on in the game.

The game had been a rather equal affair going into the final five minutes, with a point apiece seeming the likely outcome.

However the home side triumphed and took all three points when Friedrich beat Manuel Neuer after his cross looped into the far corner of the Schalke goal.

“That was a bitter defeat for us, which our defence didn’t deserve” Slomka said after the final whistle.

“The winning goal came about rather fortunately , because it was intended as a cross” he added.

“However, we need to look critically at the way we performed in attack.”

Despite beating Porto in midweek in their Champions League tie, Schalke were unable to carry that form into the Bundesliga and have handed the initiative to Leverkusen in their battle for a Champions League qualification spot.

[Vargas_4]

They may have beaten FC Porto in the Champions League in midweek, but Saturday marked Schalke's second consecutive league defeat. Sections of the fanbase have had enough of coach Mirko Slomka

Schalke conceded a bizarre late goal on Saturday to go down 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen, leaving them in fifth spot in the league and on a run of two consecutive defeats.

It's all proved too much for some Königsblauen fans, with sections of the away support at the BayArena chanting 'Slomka out' at the end of the game.

After yet another tame performance with a lack of cutting edge going forward, fans are seriously doubting whether Schalke have the capability to even make the Champions League qualification spots this season.

Pressure Is On

With die Knappen's next two games against Bayern in the League and then Porto in Europe, the pressure is definitely on the boss. "It was a terrible game and a terrible result," fumed president Josed Schnusenberg at full-time.

"Now it's going to be difficult. We could well lose against Bayern, too. And even with my optimism I can't see us winning the Champions League - that's the only way we'd get back into the competition at the moment."

Spending Not Rewarded

And having spent €6m on three offensive players during the January transfer window, Schnusenberg expected better from the Königsblauen going forward. "Something needs to change," he said, promising to speak with Slomka.

The coach meanwhile, blamed Saturday's substitutes for the Leverkusen defeat. "It was their poor efforts which disappointed the most," he said. "Peter Lövenkrands set up their goal with a sloppy pass and Albert Streit wasted a chance."

Two other players who have been restricted to substitute roles since joining in January, Vicente Sanchez and Zé Roberto, will be given a start on Tuesday afternoon in a friendly at home to Dynamo Moscow.