Schalke 04 are back in the Bundesliga, and the celebrations in Gelsenkirchen have already begun. The Royal Blues secured their return to Germany's top flight with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf at the Veltins Arena on Saturday, moving them to 67 points and guaranteeing at least second place in the 2. Bundesliga with two rounds to spare.
The decisive moment came just 14 minutes in, when captain Karaman found the back of the net to send the home crowd into a frenzy. With that win, Schalke can no longer be caught by third-placed Hannover, who sit on 57 points—a crucial cushion, as only the top two earn automatic promotion. The third-placed team will face the Bundesliga's 16th-place finisher in a playoff for a spot in the elite division.
Second-placed Paderborn, with 58 points from 31 matches, still have work to do. They face a massive showdown on Sunday against fourth-placed Elversberg, who trail by just two points. The race for automatic promotion is far from over, but for Schalke, the mission is complete—for now.
This return marks a significant turnaround for a club with a storied history. Schalke are seven-time German champions, five-time DFB-Pokal winners, and UEFA Cup champions. But recent years have been a rollercoaster. Relegated at the end of the 2020/21 season for the first time since 1988, they bounced back immediately by winning the second division in 2021/22—only to drop down again the following year. Since then, they've flirted with disaster, finishing 10th and 14th in the 2. Bundesliga, and even facing threats of relegation to the third tier.
Key to this resurgence has been veteran striker Edin Džeko. After a prolific spell at Fenerbahçe, where he scored 46 goals, the Bosnian international moved to Fiorentina but struggled to find his form, managing just two goals in 18 appearances. Schalke made him a marquee signing in the winter transfer window, and the impact was immediate: six goals and three assists in nine games, directly fueling the team's promotion push. An injury sustained during Bosnia's World Cup playoff campaign sidelined him for four matches, but he returned as a substitute on Saturday, entering in the 69th minute to a hero's welcome.
Another seasoned campaigner in the squad is Loris Karius, the former Liverpool goalkeeper, adding experience and depth to the lineup. Now, with promotion secured, the challenge shifts to staying in the Bundesliga this time around. For a club with Schalke's pedigree, the goal is clear: come back for good and reclaim their place among Germany's elite.