FC Schalke 04

[Oliver_Kahn]

Table-toppers FC Schalke 04 host Hamburger SV in Friday's Bundesliga match. bundesliga.de recalls unforgotten moments.


Both teams have already met 77 times in Bundesliga history, with 30 victories for each side and 17 draws.

Both Schalke and HSV were founding members of the Bundesliga. Schalke won the first clash on matchday 5 1-0 thanks to Günther Herrmann's goal.

Five-goal thriller in 1968

November 9th 1968 saw a thrilling match. Uwe Seeler and Jürgen Kurbjuhn put HSV two up, but Hans-Jürgen Wittkamp and Klaus Senger brought S04 level again, only for Klaus Fock to win it for Hamburg eight minutes from time.

A few HSV fans may still remember Klaus Scheer. The Schalke player scored four goals in three matches against Hamburg when Schalke won three in a row (3-1, 1-0, 3-1) in the 70-71 and 71-72 seasons.

Fischer's goals a bad omen

Schalke goal-getter Klaus Fischer also made his mark against HSV, but his goals were never a good omen for the "Royal Blues".

On the opening day of the 1975-76 season Fischer fired Schalke to a 1-0 away lead - only for HSV to win the match 4-1.

Even a brace not enough

Two seasons later Fischer was at the double for the "Royal Blues", but Ferdinand Keller (76) and skipper Peter Nogly two minutes from time secured a point for HSV.

Fischer tried his luck again with an opener in the first leg of the 1978-79 season. Kevin Keegan equalised for HSV. Thomas Lander restored Schalke's lead, but Keegan, Horst Hrubesch and Horst Bertl fired the Hanseatics to a 4-2 win.

Schalke hammered in the 80's

HSV continued to have the upper hand in the early eighties.

A 4-0 win in May 1980, a 7-1 thrashing five months later and a 6-2 in December 1982 clearly demonstrate Hamburg's superiority during that peroid.

Card games

In recent times matches between both teams have a reputation for producing many cards.

In the last ten years seven red cards and 94 bookings were issued.

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Eh, the crisis is just beggining. Couldn't have been better.

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

Their crisis might start too late for us to capitalise though.

Haha, their crisis has begin I may call. I just hope it will be confirmed against HSV.

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Hamburg beat Bremen (in their home).
Hamburg to beat Schalke (in their home).

C'mon Hamburg, do it!

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Injury victim Mladen Krstajic was joined on the sidelines by Marcelo Bordon on Monday. The Brazilian defender picked up a stomach bug before Sunday's clash with Bayer Leverkusen and is not due to resume training until later in the week. Krstajic meanwhile has not given up hope of being fit for Friday's visit of SV Hamburg.

It is not yet clear when the 33-year-old defender, who broke his left sixth rib on Sunday, will be able to work with his team-mates again, though. "He won't train with the rest of the players until he can breathe normally again and is out of pain", said club doctor Thorsten Rarreck.

Yet Krstajic still feels he has a chance of playing on Friday: "I can't promise anything, but along with the medical department I'm trying everything." The Serbian international is aware of the desperate situation regarding injuries and suspensions at the moment. "Even if I only have a one percent chance of playing, I'll do everything I can to take that chance."

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The Royal Blues have their next opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points this Friday. To do so they will need to beat SV Hamburg in front of another sell-out VELTINS Arena crowd. And this is exactly what Mirko Slomka's men intend to do.

"We aim to win and thus put our rivals, who do not play until Saturday, under pressure", explained the Schalke boss. Today there was good news for him on the injury front. Soren Larsen has recovered from a muscle tear and will be in the squad to face Hamburg. Levan Kobiashvili is also back from suspension, though it remains to be seen whether Mladen Krstajic will be able to play wearing "armour-plating" to protect his broken rib.

The Royal Blues will have to do without their suspended playmaker Lincoln for the first time since the mid-season break. "Our game plan will change, but there are always tactical alternatives", said Slomka. "And in Fabian Ernst, Levan Kobiashvili, Zlatan Bajramovic and Hamit Altintop we still have a quality midfield", he added, confident he will be able to compensate for the loss of the Brazilian.

Everyone in the Schalke camp is aware that Hamburg represent another tough challenge. After three wins in a row under new coach Huub Stevens they have climbed out of the relegation zone at long last. According to Slomka this can be attributed to the modifications Stevens has made: "They are playing very disciplined football and are much more defensive and dangerous on the break than in the first half of the season. So it's going to be difficult to create chances."

"Our task will be to force them into early mistakes that we can exploit to score what might be the all-important goal. I'm confident we can breach their bulwark, but we can't afford to get caught on the break", said Slomka.

Schalke's recent home record against Hamburg is a curious one. The Royal Blues comfortably won the first three matches at the VELTINS Arena (2-0, 3-0 and 4-1), but then went on to lose the next two 2-1 and 2-0. But this doesn't worry Slomka. "The situation now is completely different. We're top of the table and they're fighting against relegation. And earlier in the season we won 2-1 in Hamburg. If you look at it like that Hamburg ought to be worried about us."

[Oliver_Kahn]

I think HSV will make Schalke drop some pts.

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Hamburger SV's Huub Stevens and Frank Rost return to their former club FC Schalke 04 in Friday night's Bundesliga clash.

Huub Stevens and Frank Rost agree: their former club FC Schalke 04 will win the Bundesliga this season. Despite that, both are not in the mood for presents on their return with Hamburger SV.

"I'm sure that the Blue-Whites will win the title, even without a win against us", goalkeeper Rost said ahead of the match on Friday (20:30 CET).

"Schalke will be champions"

HSV head coach Stevens, who led the "Royal Blues" to the biggest success in their history by winning the UEFA Cup ten years ago, has no doubt whatsoever.

"Schalke will be champions, no matter how the match ends. I'm a hundred percent certain", the Dutchman said. Stevens was very close to leading Schalke to their first title since 1958 six years ago, when Schalke became the "People's Champions".

Stevens: "I'm looking forward"

He still holds his time with Schalke "close to his heart", and he is expected to get a heart-felt welcome - just like in 2002, when he returned with Hertha BSC.

"I'm looking forward to meeting old friends again", said Stevens, who coached Schalke in 195 Bundesliga matches between 1996 and 2002, guiding them to the UEFA Cup triumph and two DFB Cup titles.

Rost sees eleven cup finals

Frank Rost returns to Gelsenkirchen for the first time. The goalkeeper moved on in the winter break, after he lost his place in goal to 20 year old Manuel Neuer.

"I've put Schalke behind me", said Rost, who played 130 Bundesliga matches in four and a half years for Schalke. "We have eleven cup finals left this season, and this is one of them."

Schalke want to keep their cool

For leaders Schalke it's eleven cup finals, too. After their unbeaten run (13 matches) came to an end against Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday (0-1) and the five-game suspension for playmaker Lincoln, the "Royal Blues" want to avoid talk about their nerves. "We're not shaky", striker Kevin Kuranyi insisted.

Schalke are out to prove that they're not about to lose their nerves close to the title - like in 2001 and 2005, but they have to do so without important players.

Without five key players

Apart from Lincoln, who was suspended for five matches, Peter Lövenkrands, Gustavo Varela, Christian Pander and Gerald Asamoah all miss out. Additionally Mladen Krstajic is doubtful with a broken rib.

Head coach Mirko Slomka keeps his cool despite all drop-outs. "We're not afraid to lose the top position", the coach said, "we're still four points ahead."

Stevens: "Nothing to give away"

For HSV, who have a third former Schalke player in their squad in Mathias Abel, the situation is less comfortable - despite three wins in a row. The Bundesliga founding members are just one point ahead of the relegation zone.

"That's why we have nothing to give away in Schalke", Stevens stressed. "Absolutely nothing."

Line-ups as expected:

Schalke: Neuer - Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic (Hoogland), Rodriguez - Ernst, Bajramovic, Kobiaschwili - Hamit Altintop, Kuranyi, Halil Altintop.

Hamburg: Rost - Demel, Reinhardt, Mathijsen, Atouba - Mahdavikia, Jarolim, Laas, Trochowski - van der Vaart, Olic.

Referee: Wolfgang Stark

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Okay guys.. I'm sorry I'm with a 5 minutes delay in this commentary/live update.

5' Schalke 0-0 Hamburg

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Schalke is playing with the following line-up:
Neuer, Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Rodriguez, Ernst, Bajramovic, Hamit Altintop, Halil Altintop, Kobiashvilli, Kuranyi

Hamburg is playing with the following line-up:
Rost, Abel, Reinhardt, Mathijsen, Atouba, Demel, v.d. Vaart, Jarolim, Trochowski, Laas, Olic

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10' Halil Altintop with a powerful freekick, Rost prevents the ball for hitting the net, the deflected ball hits the post. Scary.

[Oliver_Kahn]

T-Red, who's Laas ?

HSV's defence is awful

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13' Kuranyi gets fouled by Demel (HSV), which gets a yellow card.

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

T-Red, who's Laas ?

HSV's defence is awful

HSV: Laas