- "Stay calm": Schalke starts off with a dream - and warns
Many FC Schalke 04 fans are already dreaming of promotion to the Bundesliga after this offensive spectacle on the second division's opening day. However, coach Karel Geraerts remained pragmatic. "It's just three points," the Belgian told Sport1 after the 5:1 win in front of 60,000 ecstatic fans against Eintracht Braunschweig. "We have to stay very calm. But it was a good start."
Of the big promotion favorites, Schalke had the best start on Saturday evening in terms of goals. On Friday evening, Hamburger SV had won 2:1 against 1. FC Köln. "It's important that we stay grounded despite all the euphoria after the opening win," said Schalke's Kenan Karaman, who scored two goals.
Other ambitious clubs like Hertha BSC and 1. FC Nürnberg stumbled on the first matchday. Hertha lost 1:2 to SC Paderborn in the debut of coach Cristian Fiel, while Nürnberg lost 2:3 to Karlsruher SC despite leading 2:0, despite the debut of former World Cup winner Miroslav Klose as their coach.
S04 CEO: No guarantees
The table after the first matchday is as meaningful as a test match, but Schalke fans celebrated their brief stay at the top. "Honestly, we want a sustainable promotion. That means: Build something up, then go up and establish something. Not up and then down because it's hard in the first league," said Schalke CEO Matthias Tillmann. But there are no guarantees, the second league is strong.
Schalke experienced this last season when relegation to the third league seemed possible at one point. "The energy - not just in the team, but throughout the club - must be different," Geraerts replied when asked what needs to change compared to last season. "That's the only way for me to make amends. If many people don't deliver what we need, it won't work."
Cologne laments defeat against HSV
Like Schalke, HSV hopes for a return to the Bundesliga. The northern club is again considered a promotion favorite and is trying to finally live up to this role in its seventh second division season. Against Cologne, Hamburg picked up the first three points, but didn't convince with their play.
"We won a game that ran a bit differently than anyone expected," said Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart, whose team focused mainly on defending.
The disappointment at the Bundesliga relegated team was great after the unlucky defeat. "There was much more in it," emphasized Gerhard Struber, who was coaching Cologne for the first time. Despite the transfer ban this summer, the Bundesliga relegated team showed with their performance what potential is in the team.
S04 fans were excited about their team's impressive 5-1 victory in Soccer, boosting their hopes of promotion to the Bundesliga. In another Soccer match, Hamburg SV also secured a victory, winning 2-1 against 1. FC Köln, starting their season on a positive note.
