FC Schalke 04 vs Hertha BSC preview: Mouthwatering curtain-raiser in the 2. Bundesliga

FC Schalke 04 

The Royal Blues enter their third consecutive season in the second tier of German football - a reality that would have seemed unthinkable just a few years ago when the club was still competing in the Champions League knockout rounds (as recently as 2019). Schalke’s decline has largely been the result of prolonged financial mismanagement, issues the club is still working hard to resolve.

Despite ongoing off-pitch challenges, there is renewed optimism within the squad. New head coach Miron Muslic, who arrived from Plymouth Argyle over the summer, brings with him a fresh perspective, new ideas, and a culture of togetherness - all in the hope of guiding Schalke back to the Bundesliga.

While the transfer window remains open, many supporters will be hoping to see further reinforcements. So far, the club has brought in defenders Nikola Katić (FC Zürich), Timo Becker (Holstein Kiel), and Hasan Kurucay (OH Leuven), along with midfielder Soufian El-Faouzi (Alemannia Aachen). However, some fans may argue that this window doesn’t reflect the ambition of a side looking to significantly improve on last season’s disappointing 14th-place finish.

The mood within the camp appears determined with defender Timo Becker speaking ahead of the game: “We know our strengths and we have to make it uncomfortable for them. It’s down to us as a team, and I’m feeling positive.” 

His words should offer encouragement to Schalke’s famously loyal supporters, who are expected to fill the Veltins-Arena once again in anticipation of a brighter season ahead.

Team news: 

Muslic almost has his full squad available to him for the opening matchday. Janik Bachmann and captain Kenan Karaman returned to full training at the start of week. The fixture against Hertha will come too soon for Hasan Kurucay, who only signed for the club on Tuesday (29/7). Defenders Vitalie Becker and Mertcan Ayhan are both fit to play after being rested for the final friendly against Sevilla.
 

Hertha BSC

Like their hosts, Hertha are also entering a third consecutive season in the 2. Bundesliga. However, optimism is running high in the capital, with many feeling this could finally be the year the club earns its return to the top flight.

They will look to build on last season’s impressive end to the campaign where they lost only one of their last nine games under Stefan Leitl to steady the ship and secure an 11th-placed finish. Leitl already set a clear ambition of promotion for the upcoming campaign back in May. 

A full pre-season under Leitl seems to have brought cohesion and sharpness, with Hertha impressing in their friendly fixtures - losing only once in six outings. The arrival of several key players has only added to the growing sense of belief: Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen), Maurice Krattenmacher (Bayern Munich), and Paul Seguin (Schalke) are just some of the notable signings to strengthen the squad. Coupled with last season's top-scorer Fabian Reese leading the line, Hertha now boast one of the most well-rounded squads in the league - particularly in terms of depth, which could prove crucial over the season.

Ahead of the opener, Hertha have taken a notably quiet approach, seemingly limiting media access and keeping their midweek training sessions under wraps. The move appears designed to reduce distractions and allow the team to focus solely on preparation.

Speaking in his press conference ahead of Friday's clash, Leitl explained: “This heated atmosphere is simply about emotion control. The goal is to have a clear head against this backdrop, but also to play football very intensely and to follow the plan of how we want to play football. If we do that, then we are good and then we are very difficult to play.”

Team news: 

Not much has changed on the injury front for Hertha: John Brooks, Marius Gersbeck, Bilal Hussein, Pascal Klemens and Luca Schuler are all still side-lined. New summer-signing Paul Seguin misses the chance to debut against his former club due to injury. Defender Linus Gechter is unavailable due to a suspension picked up from the previous campaign. 

Predicted line-ups: 

 Schalke 04

3-4-2-1: Karius (GK) - T.Becker, Katic, Ayhan - Bulut, Gruger, Schallenberg, V.Becker - Hamache, Antwei-Adjei - Sylla

The game looks to have come just too soon for forward Kenan Karaman who misses out after returning to training this week - he looks set to be replaced by Ilyes Hamache with Moussa Sylla leading the line. Miron Muslic is expected to continue with the formation he favoured during his tenure in England. 

Hertha BSC

3-4-2-1: Ernst (GK) - Dárdai, Leister, Zeefuik - Karbownik, Cuisance, Demme, Eitschberger - Krattenmacher, Thorsteinsson - Reese 

Hertha also look to stick with 3-4-2-1 that featured heavily during pre-season. The game may come too soon for new signing Dawid Kownacki with the Pole expected to make an impact off the bench. “He has now trained with the team and I still think that a little something is missing” claimed Stefan Leitl ahead of the opener.