FC Schalke 04: Alexander Nubel suspended four games
FC Schalke 04 goalkeeper and captain Alexander Nubel made an awful tackle in the second half of the team’s 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, and he has been punished accordingly.
Alexander Nubel is genuinely one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga, and at the age of 23, the FC Schalke 04 captain has the potential to be one of the best in the world. Fans hope he’ll be the national team starter in a handful of years, as he has that kind of quality and presence about him.
But Nubel has made headlines for all the wrong reasons recently. On Matchday 15, Nubel made one of the worst tackles you’ll ever see. He brainlessly came far out of his box and karate-kicked Mijat Gacinovic. Luckily, Gacinovic wasn’t seriously injured by Nubel’s full-speed, studs-up boot to the chest area, but it was a scary moment for everyone watching this Sunday night game between Schalke and Eintracht Frankfurt at the Veltins Arena.
We knew Nubel would be punished severely for this incident, regardless of how apologetic he was or what his intentions were. The challenge was reckless, totally unnecessary, and so dangerous that it could have threatened Gacinovic’s career.
ℹ️ Alexander #Nübel has been given a four-match ban after his red card against Frankfurt. #s04 pic.twitter.com/6naJOHXSke
— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en) December 17, 2019
Nubel has been suspended for four games as a result of this woeful tackle, and he can consider this a light suspension. Many thought he should be suspended for more than five games, because this was one of the most brutal fouls in Bundesliga history.
On top of the suspension, Nubel has also been fined 12,000 euros for the foul.
Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Nübel has been suspended for four games for his Mortal Kombat-style challenge on Gacinovic. He's also received a €12,000 fine. #S04
— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) December 17, 2019
Next. 5 things we learned from Schalke's win over Eintracht. dark
Schalke will be without Nubel for Wednesday’s game against VFL Wolfsburg, Matchday 17 against another team competing for a Champions League spot in SC Freiburg, title contenders Borussia Monchengladbach after the break, and then the high and mighty Bayern Munich on Jan. 25.
These are three of the best teams in the Bundesliga, so missing Nubel could be a big blow to the Royal Blues. However, they have another top young goalkeeper behind him in Markus Schubert, who looked like a commanding presence against Frankfurt despite coming in the game late. Schubert can really show what he’s made of in Nubel’s absence.