Elversberg vs Schalke 04

2. Bundesliga leaders Elversburg will look to heap the pressure on the chasing pack as they take on a Schalke side fighting to get away from the relegation zone.

Joint at the top with FC Koln and Paderborn on 28 points, Elversberg will view the clash with Schalke as an opportunity to pick up all three points against a mediocre side.

Schalke will be wondering how they find themselves in this situation. In the Champions League just over a decade ago, and finishing second in the Bundesliga as recently as 2018, a total failure to make adequate signings and less than sufficient management behind the scene saw them tumble down the German football pyramid, and they now find themselves scrapping for survival in second tier.

As an important game at both ends of the table approaches, here is everything you need to know about both sides ahead of kick-off.

Key Statistics

• Elversberg have the second best defence in the division, with their 18 goals conceded eclipsed only by Hannover’s 17.
• Fisnik Asllani is Elversberg’s top scorer with 10 goals, and he sits second in the individual standings.
• Schalke have failed to beat Elversberg in the two previous meetings between the sides.
• Despite sitting 14th in the league, Schalke strikers Moussa Sylla and Kenan Karaman sit joint third in the scoring ranking with nine each.

Elversberg Preview

Elversberg Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Nicolas Kristof (GK); Maurice Neubauer, Maximilian Rohr, Lukas Pinckert, Elias Baum; Frederik Schmahl, Carlo Sickinger; Tom Zimmerschied, Luca Schnellbacher, Lukas Petkov; Fisnik Asllani.

High flying Elversberg have looked like a time with business to attend to this season. Having never been in the German top flight before, it looks as if their new year's resolution this year is to amend that record by going up as the best team in Germany’s second division.

It wasn’t long ago they were sitting comfortably in the fourth tier of German football, but back-to-back promotions saw them rise through the pyramid, and after a season to adjust to the nature of the second league, Elversberg seem to have found their groove once again.

With no significant change in ownership or financial backing, their sudden rise through the German football pyramid has to be put down to superb management by head coach Horst Steffen, who has overseen all of Elversberg’s recent promotions.

Schalke 04 Preview

Schalke 04 Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Justin Heekeren (GK); Derry Murkin, Marcin Kaminski, Ron Schallenberg, Taylan Bulut; Janik Bachmann, Paul Seguin; Christopher Antwi- Adjej Kenan Karaman, Mehmet Aydin; Moussa Sylla.

Schalke, while in good goalscoring form this season, have struggled to strung a run of results together, with their defence letting them down in a number of games.

They have scored 2 or more goals 12 times this season, but have only managed to win five of these, a damning figure that indicates that more than a little work is needed in the defensive department.

But while they sit just four points and two places above the relegation zone, it is very hard to see them be demoted to the third tier with the form of front men Sylla and Karaman. Both have nine goals between them, and one of them has been on the scoreboard in the last four games in which Schalke have scored.

Elversberg vs Schalke 04 Head to Head

• 10/11/2023: Schalke 1-2 Elversberg.
• 19/04/2024: Elversberg 1-1 Schalke

The two sides have only ever met twice in professional competition.

Elversberg vs Schalke 04 Betting Tip

While there is a lot between the two sides in terms of the gap in the table, there is a far smaller margin when it comes to on-pitch action.

Schalke have discord just two fewer goals than Elversbergs’ 30, and the only thing letting them down is their defence. If they can clean up at the back, even if exclusively for this game, they stand more than a chance of coming away with a good result.

While the game itself is pretty tough to call, we reckon it is almost guaranteed that both teams will score.

Elversberg vs Schalke 04 Final Prediction

Elversberg 3-1 Schalke 04

Both times will push each other to their limits, but Elversberg will get the better of their rivals, with the players motivated by the extra fuel that competing at the top of the table provides.