Schalke on brink of securing Bundesliga promotion after three-year absence
Schalke’s 3-2 victory in Paderborn has put the Royal Blues on the brink of securing a Bundesliga return following a three-year absence, much to the delight of head coach Miron Muslić.
Appointed in May 2025, the Austrian-Bosnian tactician has guided the Gelsenkirchen club to 19 wins, seven draws and five losses in 31 games in 2025/26, which sees Schalke sit atop Bundesliga 2, six points clear of second-placed Paderborn, and seven clear of Hannover.
“It was an incredible day for us - this game sums up our season,” said Muslić, who masterminded his side to a sensational comeback after going 2-0 down.
Laurin Curda and Stefano Marino struck inside 26 minutes to give Paderborn an early lead, but Schalke fought back with Dejan Ljubičić scoring either side of Adil Aouchiche's strike.
Watch: Paderborn 2-3 Schalke - highlights
“Getting one back was incredibly important, and we couldn’t have asked for a better time to score the second goal,” added Muslić, regarding Aouchiche’s goal on the stroke of half time.
“After the interval, both teams were looking to secure the win, though we barely gave them a sniff and ultimately reaped our reward by scoring the winner.”
Commending his teammates’ fighting spirit, Mertcan Ayhan also weighed in, saying: “One of our most obvious qualities is that we never give up, no matter what the scoreline is.”
His sentiment of perseverance was echoed by custodian Loris Karius, who has kept 11 clean sheets in Germany’s second division this term. “You could see again today that we keep grinding even when things aren’t going our way. Nobody falters, nobody underestimates their opposite number, and the coach always has a suitable plan,” asserted Karius afterwards.
With the opportunity of securing promotion on Matchday 32 with a win against Fortuna Düsseldorf now a reality, Muslić insisted that his side are fully focused on the task in hand. “Now, we want to take the next crucial step in the home game,” he said after the final whistle, as he and the seven-time German champions prepare for a return to the big time.
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