Schalke: 5 players to watch against Mainz on Matchday 22

FC Schalke 04 needed a last-gasp winner from Amine Harit to defeat Mainz 05 in the Hinrunde, so they will be looking for a more convincing display on Sunday at the Coface Arena.

After defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach in their first game back from the holiday break, FC Schalke 04 have found it difficult to pick up wins in the Rückrunde. Their blowout loss to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena was the biggest lowlight, but the Royal Blues were also thoroughly disappointing in a 0-0 draw to Hertha Berlin and a 1-1 draw last week to SC Paderborn 07.

This weekend, Schalke will face Mainz 05 on the road, looking to pick up three points against a team that sits 15th in the table with four points separating them from Werder Bremen and Fortuna Düsseldorf in the table. But as last week’s 3-1 win over Hertha showed Bundesliga fans, Mainz and in-form forward Robin Quaison are not to be taken lightly.

Here are five players on the Royal Blues who will need to shine in order for David Wagner’s side to pick up their first league win since the Gladbach match last month.

ST Michael Gregoritsch

Michael Gregoritsch was woeful yet again on Matchday 21, failing to make any sort of an impact against Paderborn before Wagner subbed him for the much more threatening Ahmed Kutucu, who scored the goal to give Schalke a 1-0 lead.

Although Gregoritsch dazzled in his debut against Gladbach, he has been atrocious since then, looking exactly like the kind of player FC Augsburg have grown frustrated with over the past couple of seasons.

But the talent is there. Mainz’s defense is vulnerable, and if Gregoritsch can bounce back against any team, then it would be a club whose best center back is Jeffrey Bruma.