Bundesliga: Schalke win without Julian Draxler against FSV Mainz 05 – SPIEGEL ONLINE

Still was the first Schalke home win of the new era is not registered, Mainz 05 threw everything forward, had a good chance of pushing for an equalizer, but for André Breitenreiter was clear shortly before the final whistle, his team the evening as winner would end. For the players who won the hearts of fans. Shortly before the final whistle rose the audience in the arena, they applauded encouragingly to supply the exhausted players with additional force. And to express their appreciation for a performance, as it gave them a long time not to see in Gelsenkirchen.

The audience had risen, “because it has seen a team that has for grasp until the last to every ball is pursued, has not given up, “Reiter said width. Almost it seemed as if he had that moment more important than the 2: 1 victory, which was completed a few minutes later. The Schalke players, many of whom had been insulted desolate at the end of last season, wanted these three points “with a vengeance, the fans have registered, and that’s exactly where we want to go,” Reiter said width. In its home game stats in front of this success only a meager 1: 1 98.

The Schalke reconciliation process progresses so rapidly advancing, and that this coming together now just takes to Darmstadt in a moment when there some reason for a certain annoyance The fans would have been, is remarkable. The match in Wolfsburg on Matchday was a severe disappointment. In addition, the club has just sold the local hero Julian Draxler. Before the end of the transfer window was no longer enough time to undertake a replacement. But in the game against Mainz have all seen that the absence of Draxler also has its merits.

So looked Max Meyer transformed, the 19-year-old played on the Draxler position and “has done extremely well,” said Breitenreiter while manager Horst Heldt added: “Max has a giant step forward taken, he was dangerous, many things are to him very well.” And the superior Leon Goretzka, the Heldt ado for “Man of the Match” explained rejoiced easy, “that Max and I were together again in the starting lineup, which was only possible through Julians change”. Goretzka and Meyer have long been close friends, both played great. Just as the entire team seemed somehow exempt. Perhaps because the disturbing Draxler Theatre has finally ended, but perhaps also because of the players, to which all eyes were always directed, not absorbed all the attention.

One of the main sites of the new coach’s trying to cultivate a different approach to the young stars. Draxler, Meyer or Goretzka could not be explained not only by the public but also by those responsible for the club as a schoolboy superstars. Employed their names have been associated with dizzying millions. Well done to them has not. Unfortunately, the pressure on young players in this club will soon “too large”, complained Breitenreiter, “that’s something I want to change like Schalke”. And what did he perhaps even changed.

Match Winner Huntelaar proves its quality

The game against Mainz was certainly marked by a new-to-earth. Especially in the first half hour, Schalke found a mixture of willingness to work and playful class, as they were not long in Gelsenkirchen. “We started as the fire department, have 25 minutes almost 3: may cause 0″ Manager Heldt said in view of the seven or eight good scoring opportunities that the team had played out at this stage with some wonderful combination football. The best forgave Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who missed a penalty after just five minutes. It was the fourth penalty awarded by the Dutch succession, such a negative series have brought about in front of him only Nuri Sahin, Marko Pantelic and Bruno Labbadia.

But in the second half it was Huntelaar of the decisive 2: 1!, with a complicated shot into the far corner (61). That pleased him most, width Reiter said, “it was not an easy week for Klaas, he twice with the national team lost, then missed the penalty, then to come back so that shows great quality.”

A special quality of this coach meanwhile seems to be to create a constructive work environment in this conflict-ridden country. Of course there were approaches to criticism, the many opportunities the first half were not used consistently, and in the closing stages needed Schalke lucky to not grant relief. But even these deficiencies won the coach something positive from: “If everything had been perfect, we would have no more work”, width rider who looks obviously with a lot of confidence in the future said

.