Opening Act: Schalke and Hertha BSC Kick Off the New Football Season in Blues and Whites
The 2025-26 2. Bundesliga season commenced with a derby between Hertha BSC and Schalke 04, two clubs eager to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga. Both teams were relegated together two years ago and have faced challenges in their pursuit of promotion since.
In the season opener, Schalke 04 emerged victorious, defeating Hertha BSC 2-1 at the VELTINS Arena. Moussa Sylla and Nikola Katić scored for Schalke, while Sebastian Grønning netted a late consolation for Hertha. The close-fought match showcased Schalke's early form and control, but Hertha demonstrated resilience and will look to build on their performances [1][3][4].
Schalke's strong start and electric fan support position them as a credible promotion contender this season. However, maintaining momentum over the long campaign remains crucial for their success. Hertha, despite the early setback, will aim to improve on their initial performance and avoid a repeat of last season's lower table finish [1][2][3].
The performance of Fabian Reese, Hertha's prolific striker who scored 11 goals in the second division last season, and the coaching of Stefan Leitl are central to the promotion dreams in Berlin. Leitl has acknowledged that the club has moved within its possibilities on the transfer market [5].
The new season presents an opportunity for both clubs to assess their progress and the readiness of their squads for the new campaign. Miron Muslic, Schalke's new coach, and Stefan Leitl, Hertha's new coach, lead their respective teams into this promising yet challenging season [6].
As the season unfolds, it remains to be seen which team will rise to the occasion and secure a coveted spot in the Bundesliga. The unpredictable nature and competitiveness of the 2. Bundesliga ensure that both Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC will need to demonstrate steady improvements to achieve their promotion goals.
[1] https://www.espn.com/football/hertha-berlin/story/4558468/hertha-berlin-suffer-opening-day-defeat-to-schalke-04 [2] https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/2b-berlin-derby-hertha-berlin-schalke-04-preview [3] https://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/2-bundesliga/2025-26/spieltag-1/berlin-derby-hertha-berlin-schalke-04-berlin-derby-2025-26-spieltag-1-bericht [4] https://www.sport1.de/fussball/bundesliga/2-bundesliga/berlin-derby-hertha-berlin-schalke-04-live-ticker-spielstand-ergebnis-2025-26 [5] https://www.sport-bild.de/news/fussball/hertha-berlin/hertha-berlin-transfer-markt-stefan-leitl-beschwichtigt-fans-103815113.html [6] https://www.sport1.de/fussball/bundesliga/2-bundesliga/hertha-berlin-schalke-04-neue-trainer-stefan-leitl-und-miron-muslic-in-berlin-und-gelsenkirchen-103801427.html
In the aftermath of Schalke's 2-1 win over Hertha in the season opener, both clubs are now focused on elevating their performances to secure a spot in the Bundesliga. Schalke's early dominance and electric fan support strengthen their case as a viable promotion contender, while Hertha aims to recover from the early setback and improve on their previous season's low table finish.
