Schalke 04 have been relegated from the Bundesliga for the first time in three decades. Defeat away to Arminia Bielefeld on Tuesday night sealed their fate, but the club’s problems may just be beginning.
The Royal Blues, who were Bundesliga runners-up as recently as 2018, have only won two league games since January 2020, and their fate was sealed on Tuesday night with four games remaining.
Schalke's Bundesliga season so far (30 of 34 games played):
2 wins
7 draws
21 losses
⚽️ 18 goals scored
⛔️ 76 goals conceded#DSCS04 pic.twitter.com/tW5BqHs1l2
For Schalke, it’s long been a question of when and not if. The club from Gelsenkirchen in western Germany have endured a miserable 15 months with five different head coaches, high-profile resignations, negative headlines, supporter protests and existential financial problems exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis.
As they plummet into the second division for the first time since 1991, Schalke are saddled with €217 million ($257.8m) of liabilities.
©Deutsche Welle
Image via twitter @dw_sports