The Bundesliga return is confirmed, with Schalke 04 set to kick it off in a closed-doors Revier Derby May 16th. The stakes can’t get much higher.
After weeks of pause, football is coming back to us, though not the football we’re used to seeing. The Bundesliga is set to return the weekend of May 16 behind closed doors and Schalke 04’s first opponent on the return will be who else but Borussia Dortmund. A good old-fashioned Revierderby.
It’s hard to imagine a match with higher immediate stakes. Just looking at the table provides a quick reminder that Die Knappen is in a precarious state. After separating themselves from the rest of the table earlier in the year, they’ve since fallen on hard times and currently find themselves just with just a point between them and falling out of a European slot.
In one fell swoop, Wolfsburg, Freiburg, and Hoffenheim could all leap over the Royal Blues. Potentially all three at once, depending on how the results go.
Schalke 04 on the precipice with Dortmund coming up next
Which just means that it’s never been more important for Schalke to put a smackdown on their hated rivals.
Of course, Dortmund has been on a tear lately, with their attack truly popping. Erling Haland is an international sensation and everyone else, the same old crew, is finally coming together after struggling to do so early on in the year.
Meanwhile, Schalke’s attack remains a big question mark, with the potential for greatness going yet unrealized, at least with any real consistency. The last time this attack looked really good in the Bundesliga was against Borussia Monchengladbach, and that was also the last (and only) match where Michael Gregoritsch looked like a force.
Schalke have a lot of questions to answer in the run-up to this match and even more to answer during the match itself. They will still be without their top three centerbacks and will thus be relying on Matija Nastasic and Jean-Clair Todibo. They will, however, have a full complement back in the midfield, with Omar Mascarell, Weston McKennie, and Suat Serdar all back and healthy for the match.
Plus, given that it’s the Revierderby, a match that this club always shows up for (even when they go down 4-0), we don’t have any real reason to be nervous. Plenty to be excited though.
The thrill has already begun and the match is still over a week away. Bring it!