Schalke return to Bundesliga with survival the priority after turbulent years

Schalke have returned to the Bundesliga after three seasons in Germany's second tier, completing another turn in a turbulent six-year period that has included two promotions and two relegations. BBC Sport reports that the club's immediate goal is survival rather than a rapid return to its former status, with supporters and officials approaching the new campaign cautiously.

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The first league match back ended in a 3-0 defeat at Augsburg, but 6,000 travelling Schalke supporters remained after the final whistle to back the players. The club now prepares to face champions Bayern Munich in its first home match of the season on Saturday at the 62,000-capacity Veltins-Arena, where home games regularly sell out.

Schalke's latest recovery followed difficult seasons in which the team finished 10th and then 14th in Bundesliga 2. The club had previously dropped out of the top flight for the first time in 21 years as heavy debts, failed European qualification and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic placed severe pressure on its finances. An immediate promotion in 2022 was followed by relegation one year later.

Former Plymouth Argyle manager Miron Muslic arrived after the 14th-place finish and helped reshape the side around an energetic, high-pressing approach. BBC Sport's report credits Muslic with restoring belief and creating a team intended to reflect Gelsenkirchen's working-class identity through effort and commitment. Former Werder Bremen director of football Frank Baumann, who joined Schalke in June 2025, led the sporting work behind the rebuild despite limited funds.

One of Baumann's most prominent additions was former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, who arrived from Fiorentina in January. The 40-year-old has scored eight goals in his first 13 appearances for Schalke, including two in a German Cup victory this season. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius has also revived his career at the club, reclaiming a starting role and becoming an important figure in Muslic's squad.

The scale of the support remains central to Schalke's revival, but expectations have been deliberately restrained after the instability of recent years. Muslic told the BBC that the club understands both the weight of its history and its present position, describing Schalke as humble but ambitious. For now, the stated target is straightforward: secure another season in the Bundesliga and build stability from there.