week 17 - match preview

Slomka targets return to contention against Nürnberg

Buoyed by reaching the first knockout round of the Champions League the Royal Blues now intend to end the year on a conciliatory note in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Mirko Slomka has warned his players not to underestimate FC Nürnberg, however, despite a recent run of four away defeats.

"We shouldn't forget that we're up against a club who have just beaten AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup", said the Schalke boss, who expects the visitors to be targeting at least a point from their trip to Gelsenkirchen. "No club likes losing so close to Christmas. We therefore need to be fully focused and well prepared tactically."

Slomka has alerted his players to the threat posed by the visitors from distance, in particular. "They've scored roughly the same amount of goals from long range as we have", he explained. They're a well-oiled team now and we'll have to pay particular attention to Marek Mintal, Angelos Charisteas and Zvjezdan Misimovic, who've all been on the scoresheet recently.

As far as his line-up is concerned, Slomka will have to find an alternative for Carlos Grossmüller, who featured against Rosenborg but is suspended on Saturday. Three other players are in a race to get fit on time. "Gerald Asamoah and Mesut Özil have slight ankle problems, while Marcelo Bordon is experiencing stomach muscle trouble", the 40-year-old coach said.

As things stand, however, Slomka hopes to have all three at his disposal at the weekend. The Schalke boss will not be taking any risks, though: "We have to go for it on Saturday. It won't be enough if a player can only give 90 percent."

Ivan Rakitic, Mladen Krstajic and Jermaine Jones are back in the squad after their recent internal suspensions. "They have trained as normal just like everyone else", said Slomka, who has not ruled any of them out of his starting eleven.

Ahead of the final match of the calendar year it would appear everyone is raring to go. "Even the players who haven't seen much action are really up for it", explained Slomka, delighted at the pressure this is putting on the first-team regulars. So the Royal Blues go into the game against their friends from Nürnberg determined to get back into contention at the top. "The mood is and remains good and I want it to be good on Saturday evening as well", the Schalke boss concluded.