Week 24 - Match preview

Right result not the only thing that matters, says Magath

His first Ruhr derby in front of a home crowd at the VELTINS Arena could be a very special one for Felix Magath. If the Royal Blues manage to beat Borussia Dortmund on Friday (2030 CET), it will be the Schalke manager's 200th win in charge of a Bundesliga team.

"This game is not about me, it's about FC Schalke 04. And I don't really pay much attention to statistics," countered Magath when confronted with the potential milestone. "But if it comes to pass, I'll obviously be delighted."

Schalke will need to work very hard to ensure the fans, players and the manager himself will always have fond memories of the 135th competitive derby between the two sides. "We'll have to be 100 percent focused," said the 56-year-old. "Having said that, I also want the game to be a fair one." This is also the attitude he has been trying to impress upon his players in recent training sessions. "I expect us to set about our task with passion, but without going over the top," he said.

Magath feels the goalkeeper position is where his side have the edge over the fifth-placed visitors. "In Manuel Neuer we have an outstanding player between the sticks," he explained. "Dortmund are certain to try their luck with headers from set pieces. But Manuel will know how to stop them."

The Schalke boss has also warned his players about Dortmund's ability to switch the play very quickly. "They're a young team who look to force their opponents into mistakes by pressing in midfield," he said. "We mustn't let them do that." Magath expressed his desire for his side to press forward in search of a goal. "What matters is not just getting the right result, but also the way it comes about. I expect us to go out there and force chances and then take them as well."

Lucas Barrios will not be able to pursue a similar objective for the visitors. The Argentine striker, Dortmund's leading scorer this season with eleven goals, will sit out a one-match suspension. "I don't know whether that's necessarily an advantage for us. It's not something you can predict," said Magath. "In Nelson Valdez and Mohamed Zidan they have two more quick players in attack who are capable of causing a threat." The two strikers have scored seven times in a combined total of 40 appearances so far this season, and Magath will be hoping to ensure they do not add to their account by guiding his team to their seventh straight home win without conceding a goal.