Schalke 04: 5 crucial keys to downing Borussia Dortmund
By Josh Sippie
Schalke 04 has their work cut out for them against Borussia Dortmund in the Revierderby, but if they do these three things, good things lie ahead.
The Bundesliga played their cards right and are bringing the German top-flight back with the Revierderby when no other top league is nearing re-opening and many other leagues have already called the season off. Which means the world will be watching as Schalke 04 take on their bitter rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Both clubs come into this having sustained completely opposite streaks. For Schalke, it was a streak of struggle, for Dortmund, it was a streak of blinding successes. But a lot can change after a two-month pause, both in terms of getting healthy and doing the opposite.
Fitness has been a major concern for these players who have only just returned to training, and Dortmund have taken the brunt of the injury troubles, with Axel Witsel and Marco Reus ruled out, along with several others.
Schalke has what it takes to take full points here and it starts with these five steps
Schalke, meanwhile, has a few key absences in Ozan Kabak, Omar Mascarell, and Benjamin Stambouli, but they are definitely sitting in a better situation than their counterparts.
And since this is the Revierderby, and no ordinary match, Schalke will be fired up to get back on track. But in order to do so, they first need to start with these five things. We start with No. 5.
5. Trust Benito Raman
Sure, David Wagner doesn’t have a lot to trust up top. Between Guido Burgstaller, Michael Gregoritsch, and Rabbi Matondo, there’s a whole lot of possibility but not a lot of proven. Ahmed Kutucu is in dire need of more playing time—preferably in the form of starts—but we aren’t the biggest supports of the idea of him starting in this one.
And then there is Benito Raman, who is the most trustworthy striker we have. And that’s not a consolation prize, it’s because he’s actually a very good striker. He’s got the most goal contributions on the team since his breakout in the DFB-Pokal Cup nearly eight months ago. Since then he’s racked up four goals and three assists in the Bundesliga and that drop-off in production has coincided with Schalke’s drop-off overall.
Get him back in there though, with the full complement of this attack, and we will be looking at the Raman that was good for a goal or assist per match not that long ago.
On to No. 4.