week 31 - match preview

Both teams have to win, says Büskens

Schalke may be six points behind a European spot with four matches left, but for coach Mike Büskens Sunday's trip to Borussia Mönchengladbach (1700 CET) is anything but a day out.

"The way things are in the Bundesliga we may find ourselves right back in contention after the Stuttgart game on Wednesday", he said.  For this to be the case, however, Schalke simply have to win in Mönchengladbach. "The chance of us reaching fifth place isn't very big, but it's there, because we have the advantage of playing against teams who are also battling for a place in Europe", Büskens continued.

The caretaker coach is not wasting any thoughts on the forthcoming games against Stuttgart at home and Hertha BSC in Berlin, however. "On Sunday we're up against Gladbach and it won't be easy. They'll be desperate to win the game because a point won't be much use to them in the situation they find themselves in."

Büskens therefore expects to face an attack-minded home side. "They adopted a very defensive approach in Munich last week, but that won't be the case this time. Alexander Baumjohann was suspended and Marko Marin wasn't introduced until late on. I'm sure both will start against us."

Both players have the quality to decide a game. Baumjohann has amassed ten "scorer points" so far this season (three goals/seven assists), and Marin has 16 (four/twelve). "Both of them are great in one-against-ones so we'll need to be alert", warned Büskens. "Gladbach will do everything they can to win the game to give them impetus going into the relegation clash in Cottbus."

So with both teams desperate to win the fans can look forward to an interesting game on Sunday. Against Leverkusen last week the Royal Blues lost for the first time under the coaching triumvirate of Büskens, Mulder and Reck, a defeat that came after four league wins in a row, but Büskens doesn't feel it is a handicap going into the game. "It had to happen some time. And there are always lessons to be learnt, even when you play badly."  He is therefore unlikely to make too many changes to the Schalke team.