Release The Knappen
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FC Schalke 04: 5 key players to watch against Bayern Munich

By Kevin Parvizi

17 January 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Football: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Borussia Mönchengladbach, 18th matchday in the Veltins Arena: Schalke's Omar Mascarell (l) and coach David Wagner hug each other. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
17 January 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia, Gelsenkirchen: Football: Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 - Borussia Mönchengladbach, 18th matchday in the Veltins Arena: Schalke's Omar Mascarell (l) and coach David Wagner hug each other. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and the DFB Deutscher Fußball-Bund, it is prohibited to exploit or have exploited in the stadium and/or from the game taken photographs in the form of sequence images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Bernd Thissen/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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FC Schalke 04 will travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich on Saturday evening with revenge on their minds. Here are five players who will be instrumental to the Royal Blues’ success this weekend.

After defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 in a dominant display at the Veltins Arena, FC Schalke 04 have to feel great about their chances of securing Champions League football in the Rückrunde of the 2019-2020 Bundesliga season.

But on Saturday, the toughest test imaginable awaits Schalke, as they must face second-place powerhouse Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Bayern defeated Schalke 3-0 at the Veltins Arena in the Hinrunde and blew out Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz in the first half of the season, so David Wagner will clearly have his work cut out for them.

But if Die Knappen can pull off an upset, it would be one for the ages and would cement the club as legitimate title contenders. Here are five players who will need to shine in order for this to happen on Saturday.

LB Bastian Oczipka

Schalke won’t have to deal with Kingsley Coman on the left side of Bayern’s attack, but Serge Gnabry is an even more formidable proposition. Potentially back from injury, Gnabry has the intelligence off the ball and finishing quality in the final third to score a hat trick on any given matchday.

Even if Gnabry is unable to suit up, Oczipka will have to deal with the tricky movement of Thomas Müller, who will drift into spaces inside and take advantage of switches after overloads on the left.

Bastian Oczipka is coming off a great performance against one of the Bundesliga’s best attacking trios in Breel Embolo, Alassane Plea, and Marcus Thuram. He had no trouble with the pacy Patrick Hermann either.

Recently signed to an extension, Oczipka will need to be at his sharpest mentally and at his most astute defensively on Matchday 19 in order for the Royal Blues to pick up a positive result at the Allianz.

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