Bentaleb back in Schalke first team after three months suspension

Bundesliga side Schalke confirm that Nabil Bentaleb has returned to training with the first team following a discussion with head coach Christian Gross.

S04 suspended both Bentaleb and Amine Harit in November for disciplinary reasons, the latter has already returned to the Schalke starting XI whilst Bentaleb continued to train individually.

Speaking in November, Schalke sporting director Jochen Schneider said: “He is undisputedly an excellent footballer but Schalke and Bentaleb obviously don’t go together. There wasn’t one particular moment, it was a process. We will part ways by summer 2021 at the latest.”

Upon returning to the first team, Bentaleb has completed all the necessary coronavirus and performance tests in the past few days.

The 26-year-old Algerian international has played just 449 minutes of Bundesliga football for Schalke this season after returning from a loan spell at Premier League side Newcastle United.

Bentaleb has a contract at Schalke until the end of the season.

©GGFN