Schalke: 3 unsung heroes of the 2019/20 season
By Josh Sippie
1. Matija Nastasic
I’m ashamed to admit that even I have to remember that Matija Nastasic is here sometimes. And that’s not at all a discredit to his ability or to his importance to the club. It’s just the situation he’s in. Think about it. “Above” Nastasic, you have our season-starting duo of Salif Sane and Benjamin Stambouli. Their injuries have been widely talked about.
“Below” Nastasic, you have two incredibly talented young stars in Ozan Kabak and Jean-Clair Todibo. Both can start and anchor this defense, easily. They’ve proven that. They are two of the best young centerbacks in the world.
Sandwiched in between these two swells of headlines is Matija Nastasic. Nastasic, who was the guy who partnered Kabak when Kabak was getting all the credit for fixing the defensive crisis at the club.
Nastasic could start at so many other clubs. He could regularly start at our club, but for the sandwich he finds himself in, with so many other worthy talents around him.
He’s such a big piece of the puzzle for Schalke, even though he gets next to no credit.