FC Schalke 04: 5 players we are thankful for in 2019-2020

FC Schalke 04 are in a position to qualify for the Champions League again, and these five players have been instrumental to their success in 2019-2020.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it’s time to give a special “Thank You” to five players on FC Schalke 04 who have been especially crucial to the team’s turnaround in 2019-2020. After flirting with relegation in 2018-2019, the Royal Blues are in fifth place and in prime position to return to the Champions League.

Although there are more than five players who deserve a shoutout, these men have distinguished themselves in an important way.

CB Salif Sane

Although Salif Sane is currently out for several months with a serious knee injury, the star center back is one of Schalke’s most important players. He is a rock and a true leader in the Royal Blues’ back four, cutting out danger before it develops and is often the last line of defense if the team gets caught on the counter.

Sane has been missed in the lineup, though the likes of Ozan Kabak, Weston McKennie, and Matija Nastasic have been good in the weeks since Sane’s heart-breaking injury against Augsburg.

There is no doubt that Sane has been one of the Bundesliga’s best defensive players over the last few years, and teams around Europe will start showing interest in the veteran Senegal international in no time. But for now, he’s a Royal Blue and a vital part of Schalke’s 2019-2020 success.

We continue to wish Sane the best as he recovers from the serious knee injury.