Gladbach out to defend fourth place against Schalke

18.03.2016

Two of the Bundesliga's most iconic clubs go head to head in a battle for a UEFA Champions League place when Borussia Mönchengladbach travel to FC Schalke 04 on Friday (kick-off 20:30CET/19:30GMT).

Download the free Bundesliga app here!

The Foals dismantled Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 26, but are struggling for consistency, having failed to win back-to-back games in 2016 so far. They will, however, look to Raffael for inspiration. The Brazilian, who spent six months on loan at Schalke in 2013, is in electrifying form having netted 13 times in 26 Bundesliga games this season, including six in his last seven games.

Watch: Gladbach 3-0 Frankfurt – match highlights

Meanwhile, Schalke's hopes of securing a Champions League spot suffered a blow last week when they lost at Hertha Berlin, with the Royal Blues now fifth in the table - although just one point behind the Foals in fourth.

Watch: Hertha 2-0 Schalke – match highlights

History

Matchday 10 rewind: Gladbach 3-1 Schalke

Matchday 27 - match stats

Despite losing the first five games of the season, Gladbach reached the 40-point milestone on Matchday 26.Schalke are unbeaten in the last three home games.Gladbach have not won any of their last six away games.The Foals have, however, won five of their last six games against Schalke.Schalke have won 12 of their last 13 home games on a Friday evening.Both Schubert and Andre Breitenreiter had their first coaching job in professional football at SC Paderborn 07.

Possible line-ups

Schalke: Fährmann – Kolasinac, Matip, Neustädter, Aogo – Geis, Höjbjerg – Sane, Belhanda, Meyer – Huntelaar

Absentees: Caicara (suspended), Höwedes (thigh), Nastasic (Achilles), Uchida (knee), Höger (knee)

Gladbach: Sommer – Elvedi, Christensen, Hinteregger, Korb – Dahoud, Xhaka – Johnson, Hazard – Stindl – Raffael

Absentees: Dominguez (back), Schulz (knee), Jantschke (knee), Nordtveit (knee), Wendt (light training)