Manga stays tough
©IMAGO
Even after the change of coach, there will be no new opportunity for Dominick Drexler at Schalke 04. The 34-year-old has been suspended by the Royal Blues since April. This will remain the case under the as yet unknown successor to Karel Geraerts. According to consistent media reports, this was decided by the club.
The question of a possible pardon arose because the decision was made and justified by Geraerts at the time: “Dominick has recently put himself above the team. I have therefore made the decision that Dominick will be part of the U23s until further notice,” the Belgian said at the time after Drexler allegedly threw a shake at the wall in the dressing room, among other things. Ben Manga had also already stressed in April: “The door is closed.” And that is how it will remain, despite the difficult sporting phase.
Schalke started the season with four points from the first six games and is currently in 16th place in the table. Last Friday they squandered a 3-0 lead against Darmstadt 98, which cost Geraerts his job. The defensive has been particularly problematic so far, with 16 goals conceded making them the weakest defence in the league. Things are going better in attack, with twelve goals scored (fourth best offensive), and in Drexler’s position in the attacking midfield, new signing Amin Younes (31) has recently been one of the few bright spots.
Drexler joined Schalke on a free transfer from 1. FC Köln in the summer of 2021 and was a regular member of the squad for a long time. In 65 games, he scored ten goals and provided eleven assists and extended his contract until 2025 in November 2023. The club tried to terminate his contract in the summer, but failed. With 131 games in the 2nd Bundesliga, the Bonn native has the third most experience in the lower house behind Tobias Mohr (136) and Paul Seguin (133), who both overtook him this season.
