FC Schalke predicted XI: Borussia Dortmund and the Revierderby await
By Josh Sippie
Fullbacks
There isn’t a lot of flexibility in these two positions, so with that in mind, don’t come looking here for a grand innovation. With Hamza Mendyl out on loan, Juan Miranda not quite up to snuff yet, it’s going to be Bastian Ozcipka who again gets the nod at leftback.
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He had a particularly stinky affair against Hoffenheim, getting caught flat-footed far too often, getting shredded by the counter attack. But he’s trusted for a reason. He’s been here a long time, playing the same role. We have to have faith that he can hold strong and withstand the likes of Jadon Sancho. Nervous? No, I’m not nervous. I naturally sweat all the time.
Opposite him, Jonjoe Kenny will keep his spot. The Everton loanee has been nothing short of epic this year, dominating the right-hand flank and combining well with Daniel Caligiuri, who is a natural at rightback himself.
Kenny may not be the best defensively, but his work rate alone make him infinitely valuable to the club, especially given the lack of speed that often plagues the club elsewhere on the pitch.
A lot of the game will come down to these two guys. Having to face the width of Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus and the rest of the Dortmund crew is asking a lot. But if they can do it, they shut down a major aspect of the success Dortmund will be hoping to find.
On to the centerbacks.