Schalke After Cup Elimination in Dresden — “No Excuses”

Schalke head coach Miron Muslic has prepared his players for some difficult weeks ahead following their early exit from the DFB Cup. “We can’t make excuses; we have to accept the situation as it is. We’re used to handling situations like this at Schalke. I remember exactly what it was like at Schalke 16 months ago. Everything was in ruins, but we didn’t lose heart,” Muslic said on the evening following the 0–2 (0–0) loss at Dynamo Dresden.

Muslic: “The next few weeks will be tough”

The loss to the second-division side marked the fifth consecutive competitive match without a win. In four of the five games, the Bundesliga newcomer failed to score. “The schedule will be tough; the next few weeks will be tough. We have to get through this—we have to stick together, as a united team,” said Muslic, looking ahead to the coming weeks. This Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky), Schalke faces RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

Kenan Keraman was frustrated by the lackluster performance at the sold-out Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. “We weren’t aggressive enough—maybe too passive—and could have pressed higher up the field. We also didn’t find solutions with the ball; at times we were too sloppy to create dangerous chances up front,” said the captain.

Karius: “We lacked power up front”

Goalkeeper Loris Karius, who didn’t have a good day in Dresden, called the team to account: “We lacked power up front; the plan was to advance, but we didn’t manage that. We need to take a hard look at ourselves as a team and show a response now.” +

After the fifth competitive match without a win, Karaman admitted that the team is in a slump. The Schalke fans responded to the performance in Saxony with silence. “The fans who traveled with us today have every right not to react. We need to be clear about that, reflect on it, and show a different side against Leipzig,” said Karaman.