Fortuna Dusseldorf v Schalke: CONFIRMED line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!
Ao Tanaka is only on the bench for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the first game under new coach Daniel Thioune as they welcome Schalke from Ko Itakura (kick-off 13:30 CET).
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After a 1-0 loss to Holstein Kiel last weekend, Fortuna parted ways with Christian Preußer and appointed Daniel Thioune as their new head coach. He takes over a side that slipped into the relegation play-off spot in midweek, after Sandhausen beat Karlsruhe, and with just one win from their last 10 games he has his work cut out against a Schalke in form. Fortunately for Thioune, the experienced Adam Bodzek is back in training after recovering from a broken rib, although he is not yet fit enough for this game. Top scorer Rouwen Hennings returns to lead the attack after being left on the bench last weekend, and with Kristoffer Peterson suspended, Daniel Ginczek keeps his place alongside Hennings. Tanaka was an option to replace the injured Edgar Prib, but Thioune opted for Polish midfielder Jakub Piotrowski instead, as he starts with a clean slate.
Unbeaten for five years, Schalke have fought their way into the heart of the most exciting promotion battles of recent years, and they will be looking to fight their way into the top three with a victory. Last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Jahn Regensburg came at a price, however, with Andreas Vindheim pulling his calf muscle. He will be away for a few weeks. Reinhold Ranftl was the only equal substitute, but coach Dimitrios Grammozis replaced Marius Bülter instead after some impressive performances from the bench. One player he won’t change is Simon Terodde, who joined Guido Burgstaller at the top of the goalscoring charts with 15 goals in 17 appearances this season.
Look: Terodde on target as Schalke beat Regensburg
Match statistics
- Fortuna’s top scorer with nine goals, Hennings leads the league in shots scored with three (from three attempts) and also has five goals in his last five games against Schalke.
- Three of the four Japanese-born players in Bundesliga 2 currently could feature in this game with Dusseldorf’s Tanaka and Shinta Appelkamp against Schalke’s Itakura.
- Düsseldorf made the most crosses from open play in the division (330) but only scored four goals as a result.
- Terodde joined Burgstaller at the top of the scoring charts with 15 goals in 17 appearances this season, including two against Dusseldorf. He’s had six in his last six Bundesliga 2 games against them.
- The Royal Blues have scored 38 per cent of their goals when attacking from the left flank of Thomas Ouwejan, who is fourth in the division in assists with seven and second in crosses from open play (82).
- Although the head-to-head record in Bundesliga 2 is tied with one win each and one draw (four goals each), Schalke have dominated this game across Bundesliga-era competitions with 23 wins from 51 (D15 , L13).
CONFIRMED compositions
Fortuna: Kastenmeier–Zimmermann, Hoffmann, de Wijs, Gavory–Piotrowski, Sobottka, Narey, Ginczek, Appelkamp–Hennings
Subtitles: Wolf, Klarer, Hartherz, Oberdorf, Tanaka, Klaus, Pledl, Bozenik, Lobinger
Outside: Bodzek (Fitness Match), Iyoha (Muscular), Peterson (Suspended), Prib (Muscular)
Coach: Daniel Thioune
Schalke: Fraisl – Thiaw, Itakura, Kaminski – Palsson (c) – Bülter, Zalazar, Idrizi, Ouwejan – Terodde, Pieringer
Subtitles: Fährmann, Lode, Sane, Matriciani, Churlinov, Lee, Flick, Rzatkoswki, Mikhailow
Outside: Aydin (hamstrings), Drexler (muscular), Langer (knee), Vindheim (calf)
Coach: Dimitrios Grammozis
