Schalke 04 on the way to promotion: Baumann and Muslic celebrate!

Schalke 04 on the way to promotion: Baumann and Muslic celebrate!

More and more positive waves have recently swept through the Veltins Arena, as Schalke 04 is experiencing a clear upswing under sporting director Frank Baumann and new coach Miron Muslic. With nine wins from the first twelve games of the current season, the Knappen have exceeded the expectations of fans and experts. Baumann highlights the importance of his predecessor, Youri Mulder, who acts as director of professional football. Mulder is the central point of contact for the coach, team and media and plays a key role in the rebuilding of the team.

But what makes the difference? Under Muslic's leadership, Schalke has developed a clear game idea that clearly stands out from the destructive football of previous years. The goal: a courageous team with strong team spirit. The new coach, who previously achieved great success at Plymouth Argyle with a ten-game unbeaten run and beat Liverpool in the FA Cup, is confident in the manpower and skills of his charges. He is full of drive to promote team performance and individual player development. Muslic has been at the helm as head coach since June 1, 2025 and brings a breath of fresh air into the game.

Integration of young talents

Frank Baumann, who describes the squad planning as successful despite financial restrictions, also has an eye on the integration of young players such as Vitalie Becker and Mertcan Ayhan. This commitment to young talent is reflected in the excellent work of Knappenschmiede, which is considered one of the best young talent academies in Germany. After separating from squad planner Ben Manga, Baumann plans to present new solutions in the area of ​​scouting and young talent in order to actively shape the future of the club.

Another promising sign is U-19 coach Norbert Elgert's commitment to continue working for the club, which ensures continuity in youth work. The coach is known for his success and his feel for young talent. The strong fan structure, with over 200,000 members and loyal supporters, also reinforces the club's positive tailwind. The prospect of a possible promotion continues to be a long-term goal, although Baumann makes it clear that this cannot be guaranteed.

Schalke's successes and challenges

FC Schalke 04, founded on May 4, 1904, is one of the most traditional football clubs in Germany. The team celebrated seven championships and five DFB Cup victories, while their greatest success was winning the UEFA Cup in 1997. After being relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga in 2020/21, Schalke was immediately able to get promoted again, but things went down again in the 2022/23 season.

The challenges should not be underestimated: the club is struggling with debts of 149.8 million euros and equity of zero euros. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm among the supporters remains unbroken, and the current positive development gives many hope that Schalke 04 is on the right track to soon establish itself again where it belongs - in the Bundesliga.

As the third largest sports club in Germany, Gelsenkirchen knows that difficult times are part of it. But with a good team, a clear plan and passionate fans behind them, Schalke 04 can look forward to a hopeful future. And who knows, maybe the next route to the championship will soon be through the Veltins Arena again.