FIRST TEAM
10/14/2022

Royal Blues in drop zone ahead of TSG double-header

After a run of three defeats, Schalke 04 will be hoping for an upturn in fortunes when they take on TSG on Friday evening (20:30 CET / Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de). Frank Kramer has especially been in the spotlight prior to the double-header (S04 will visit Sinsheim on Tuesday in the DFB-Pokal second round). The former Hoffenheim and current Schalke coach is charged with guiding the tradition-steeped promoted club into calmer waters – but will be without several key performers for the clash with TSG.

It is the beginning of an all-blue week for TSG: Hoffenheim will travel away to FC Schalke 04 on Friday (20:30 CET / Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de), with the "return fixture" against the team from Gelsenkirchen in the DFB-Pokal to follow only four days later. The double-header between the Royal Blues and the Kraichgau Blues offers both sides opportunities as well as risks: TSG are aiming to establish themselves among the league's chasing pack and qualify for the last 16 in the cup, while Schalke are under pressure following a run of three successive Bundesliga defeats; they will be looking to improve their league fortunes and boost their confidence in the cup. 

Another curious sidenote about this blue versus blue week is that both clubs currently have coaches in the dugout that have previously worked at the other club. TSG boss André Breitenreiter spent the 2015/16 campaign at S04, while Frank Kramer gained experienced on the sidelines in Hoffenheim between 2011 and 2013. But that's not all: the Hoffenheim duo of Sebastian Rudy and Ozan Kabak, plus Schalke's Kenan Karaman and Kerim Calhanoglu, all played for their next opponents. And the septet is completed by Hoffenheim assistant manager Frank Fröhling, who was employed by Schalke in 2019 and 2020.

But for Frank Kramer, Friday's reunion with familiar faces is of secondary importance. After a run of three defeats, the S04 coach is under massive pressure. As a promoted club, it's important not to fall to the bottom of the table too quickly. The pressure at the tradition-stepped club is already huge. kicker wrote: "Last attempts – tweaks and personnel changes in a bid to prolong Kramer's tenure at Schalke".

But the fact the Gelsenkirchen outfit, who played first with a back three and later with a back four in their 4-0 loss in Leverkusen last time out, are making changes is partly down to their personnel situation. The two centre-backs Ibrahima Cissé (muscle injury) and Marcin Kaminski (laceration) are both out, as are the duo of Sepp van den Berg (central defender / ankle injury) and Rodrigo Zalazar (midfielder / broken metatarsal), who both sustained injuries last week. The injury situation will only add to Schalke's worries, which are already significant given their table position: Schalke are currently in 16th place with only one win and six points, while their goal difference (-11) and goals conceded (21) give more cause for concern. Their hopes are mainly focused on the two prolific frontmen, Tobias Mohr (six assists) and Dominick Drexler (three goals, three assists).

Kramer is aware of the current situation ("I'm human. You feel it of course") but emphasised the following at the press conference on Thursday: "The discussions before the game do not serve a purpose. My focus is on the team and the match against Hoffenheim. From day 1, we've committed ourselves to fighting for our survival. I do everything in my power every day to ensure we achieve our objective."

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