2. Bundesliga Preview: Schalke 04 vs. Arminia Bielefeld
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2. Bundesliga leaders Schalke will be at home on matchday 25 as they host newly-promoted Arminia Bielefeld. Despite successive defeats to Greuther Fürth and Hannover, the visitors are still a bit higher from the relegation zone since they started February with seven points from three games.
In contrast, it took Schalke until mid-February to register their first win of the new year. The narrow scoreline away at Holstein Kiel followed by a dramatic 5-3 victory over Magdeburg and an uninspiring draw against Fürth.
The reverse fixture was the first meet up between the teams since Bielefeld did the double over Schalke in the 2020-21 Bundesliga season. Although the Traditionsverein were the ones demoted to 2. Bundesliga at the end of that season, Bielefeld faced successive relegations that left them in 3. Liga before their promotion campaign last term.
Two goals in the first 20 minutes secured a 2-1 victory for Miron Muslić's side at the SchücoArena on matchday eight. With fifth-placed Hannover only two points behind the table-toppers, Schalke couldn't afford further slip ups in their quest to return to top-flight football. Meanwhile, only Nürnberg (8) picked up fewer points than Bielefeld (10) away from home this season.
Team News
Loris Karius is not expected to return as Heidenheim's loanee Kevin Müller continues in goal for Schalke. Meanwhile, center-back Nikola Katić is out because of accumulated yellow cards. Similarly, Tim Handwerker and Monju Momuluh are missing from Bielefeld's traveling squad after picking up their fifth yellow cards in the narrow home defeat to Hannover.
Predicted Lineups
Schalke: Müller; Becker, Ayhan, Kurucay, Ndiaye; El-Faouzi, Schallenberg; Ljubicic, Karaman ©, Aouchiche; Dzeko
Bielefeld: Kersken; Boakye, Bauer, Knoche, Sicker; Russo; Corboz ©, Wörl; Rochelt, Uldrikis, Grodowski
