Is this the year Schalke make it back to the Bundesliga?
Schalke have been languishing at the wrong end of the Bundesliga 2 table since their last relegation from the top flight two years ago, but under the stewardship of head coach Miron Muslić, the Royal Blues finally appear to be back on the right track in the push for a Bundesliga return.
Schalke are one of Germany’s most decorated clubs. Steeped in history and tradition, the Bundesliga co-founders have won seven German titles, five DFB Cups and a UEFA Cup.
And despite their recent struggles - with relegations in 2021 and 2023 - they remain one of the country’s best supported clubs with over 200,000 members, surpassed only by Bayern Munich and fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund.
Since their relegation on the final day of the 2022/23 season, Die Knappen have only managed 10th- and 14th-placed finishes in Bundesliga 2, begging the question: when will Schalke play in the Bundesliga again?
Watch: Giants Schalke awaking from slumber
After Karel Geraerts and Kees van Wonderen both came and went, Schalke appointed Muslić in May this year. The Austrian-Bosnian tactician is regarded as one of Europe’s best coaching talents, having impressed at Ried and Cercle Brugge before moving to Plymouth Argyle, where he masterminded a historic 1-0 FA Cup win over Liverpool but was unable to stave off relegation from England’s second tier.
“Miron impressed us with both his expertise and his communication skills,” said Schalke board member for sport Frank Baumann. “He knows how to inspire a group, and his style of coaching is clearly recognisable both on and off the pitch.
“His leadership and resilience were key aspects of our discussions. With his strengths, he can help the team as a whole as well as support the individual development of our players. We’re confident that, with our backing, he’ll be successful as head coach of Schalke.”
Known for his high pressing and direct football, the 43-year-old is well suited to Schalke’s philosophy as well as being able to identify with the city of Gelsenkirchen. And, having been in the top two since the start of October, supporters have every right to think a return to the elite is a possibility.
Schalke began the season in emphatic fashion with a 2-1 win against Hertha Berlin. Muslić’s expansive football left quite an impression at a sold-out Veltins-Arena on Matchday 1, but he has since had to adapt his style into a more pragmatic one, showcasing his ability to adjust his approach depending on the task at hand.
After losing 1-0 at Kaiserslautern on Matchday 2, the Royal Blues responded well with successive wins against Bochum and Dynamo Dresden, giving them nine points from their first four games.
Watch: Schalke survive Bielefeld test
Their resolve was tested once again after a 1-0 loss to Holstein Kiel, but while previous squads may have struggled to bounce back from defeat, Muslić’s charges continue to show resilience and character. They roared back to form with a maximum nine points from games against Magdeburg, Greuther Fürth and Arminia Bielefeld, scoring five goals and conceding only one.
After another victory over Hannover, Schalke claimed top spot in the division following a narrow 1-0 win over Darmstadt, coupled with Elversberg's 2-0 loss at Bielefeld.
Although then beaten late at Karlsruhe, Die Knappen bounced back again by edging top-three rivals Elversberg 1-0 - another tight result. Three wins and a draw since guarantee Schalke the lead going into the winter break, and victory in their final match of 2025 - against struggling Eintracht Braunschweig - could open up as much as a seven point lead at the halfway stage.
Going into the winter break, they already have two more wins than they managed across the entire 2024/25 campaign and only five other teams in history have collected as many points after 16 matchdays as their 37. Crucially, all of the previous teams to do so went on to earn promotion by the end of their respective campaigns.
Watch: Schalke move clear of Elversberg
Only Eintracht Braunschweig (64) and relegated Jahn Regensburg (71) conceded more goals than Schalke (62) last season, but Muslić has been working his defensive magic. His side have recorded nine clean sheets in 2025/26 - already five more than the whole of last season - while no team has conceded fewer than the Ruhr club’s eight goals this campaign.
So few goals conceded after 16 games betters the club record in the top two divisions, while the 2-1 loss to Karlsruhe remains the only game where they conceded more than once.
All this adds up to Schalke topping a table at the winter break for the first time since the 2000/01 Bundesliga season, which saw them eventually come up just one point short of champions Bayern Munich.
Muslić has also transformed Schalke into a more physical outfit, winning a division-leading 416 aerial duels. They may be bottom of the division for possession (42 percent) but rank first for sprints (171 per game) and third for fouls (217 in total).
The arrivals of Nikola Katić, Hasan Kuruçay and Timo Becker have bolstered the club’s back line, and with the experience of Karius, Adrian Gantenbein and Ron Schallenberg, the Royal Blues find themselves in a very healthy position indeed.
Schalke may not be scoring many - only six teams have fewer than their 21 goals, and bottom side Dynamo Dresden have score two more - but they are making the most of what comes their way.
Seven of their games have ended 1-0 (five wins, two losses), with four more wins of 2-1 and just three victories have been by two goals or more. Eight goals have come in the opening 20 minutes, with Die Knappen going on to win all five such games - four of them without conceding.
It's all reminscent of the good old days under Huub Stevens, who once said: "We need to keep it to nil."
After two years of turmoil, Schalke are making all the right decisions off the pitch, too. Appointing Muslić was a bold and exciting call, and in Baumann they have an experienced head who is capable of making the right moves at boardroom level.
With no Hamburg or Cologne to contend with in Bundesliga 2 this season, Schalke are well placed to return to Germany’s top-tier. Productive with the ball and strong defensively, this new-look squad certainly boasts all the right attributes.
To achieve promotion, it is imperative that Schalke remain strong at home. It’s still early days, but if they can build on their performances so far, Muslić could well be the man to guide the seven-time German champions back to the big time.
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