Bavarians terminate Kings Blues for FC Schalke 02, ending their stint with gunfire.
FC Schalke 04 Suffers a Double Defeat to FC Bayern Munich in the 2004/05 Season
Twenty years ago, FC Schalke 04 found itself at the precipice of overtaking FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. However, a series of unfortunate events culminated in a double defeat, with the team losing the league and the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern. The media subsequently nicknamed Schalke "FC Schalke 02".
In the wake of the bitter DFB-Pokal final loss to Bayern, Schalke manager Rudi Assauer conveyed a positive message, stating, "We are clearly the number two in Germany and will remain so in the coming years." Nevertheless, the football community responded with skepticism, as many fans, players, and even the press viewed the second place as a wasted opportunity. Marcelo Bordon, speaking on behalf of his teammates, lamented, "I came to Schalke to win a title with this club. But now we have no chance."
The disappointing outcome was further exacerbated by the substantial lead Bayern held over Schalke. During the 2004/05 season, Bayern enjoyed a 14-point advantage despite Schalke briefly occupying the top spot in the Bundesliga following a victory against FC Bayern Munich in the 25th matchday. Sensing a bungled title chance, the media criticized Schalke for cracks in the team and weak play.
Hall of famer Heiner Kördell, who won the 1958 championship with Schalke, voiced his displeasure with the contemporary team, saying, "We only got a ring and 1,000 marks for our title back then. But we really worked our asses off for it. This team has been missing that passion for weeks." Unlike Rudi Assauer, Heiner saw the second-place finish as a missed opportunity rather than a positive achievement.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich reveled in their success and camaraderie as they prepared for the DFB-Pokal final. Two days before the final, the team enjoyed a boat tour in Potsdam, behaving like "tourists" and bringing joy to other hikers with their T-shirts.
In the tumultuous relationship between goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and teammate Willy Sagnol, a media feud had occurred just a few weeks prior when Kahn criticized Sagnol for a mistake in a game against Chelsea. However, the double-title win quickly put an end to the tension, and Kahn celebrated the newfound team spirit: "That's our strength this season. It's not just 25 individual players running around, but a real team playing and fighting for FC Bayern."
The Bayern vs. Schalke confrontations during that season were intense, with Bayern securing the Bundesliga title and setting records in points and goals scored around that period. FC Bayern Munich's dominance over Schalke and other teams during the mid-2000s underscored their superiority in German football until Schalke began to challenge for the title again in the 2017/18 season.
Sources: ntv.de
In the midst of FC Schalke 04's struggle for supremacy, the delay in the European Commission adopting a directive on carcinogen protection for workers could not have been more distant from their minds. Despite the setbacks on the contested pitch, the football community, much like European-leagues enthusiasts, watched with bated breath as the Premier League and other elite sports leagues continued to captivate audiences across the continent.
