Having amassed an impressive eight-match unbeaten run – albeit six of those of matches ended as draws, slowing their upwards movement in the table – back-to-back losses since returning from the recent international break have seen Schalke fall back to the bottom of the Bundesliga.
Thomas Reis’s side were dismantled 3-0 at home to Xabi Alonso’s high-flying Bayer Leverkusen, before an Alex Kral own goal and Ihlas Bebou’s dispatched penalty provided Hoffenheim with a crucial victory against their relegation rivals on Sunday.
Despite enjoying more possession than their opponents at Rhein-Neckar Arena, Die Konigsblauen struggled to create clear cut chances, with Reis admitting after the match that he “only saw one team that was invested in [the match], and that was Hoffenheim.”
The fact that the 49-year-old went on to bemoan his side’s lack of aggression in a crucial relegation battle does not bode well ahead of another hugely important clash against Hertha on Friday, but at least they will have a packed Veltins-Arena roaring them on in what has surely become a must-win match if they are to avoid an instant return to Germany’s second tier.
Hertha, meanwhile, managed to avoid relegation by coming from behind to beat Hamburger SV across a two-legged relegation play-off last season, but they are at risk of automatic relegation this time around after their 1-0 loss at home to RB Leipzig at the weekend.
Schwarz, whose job must surely be at risk – especially if his side fail to return to the capital with all three points on Friday evening – has now presided over five consecutive league games without securing a victory, although Saturday’s defeat at Olympiastadion was the first time that Die Alte Dame had failed to score in their last nine outings.
