Overview
- Schalke will reconvene on Jan. 2 and stage open sessions on Jan. 3–4 in Gelsenkirchen, with Loris Karius, Nikola Katic, Hasan Kurucay, Ron Schallenberg, Soufiane El-Faouzi, Moussa Sylla and captain Kenan Karaman rejoining on Jan. 6.
- A friendly at VfL Osnabrück on Jan. 10 precedes the league restart away to Hertha BSC on Jan. 17.
- The side tops the 2. Bundesliga at the break with 37 points after conceding only ten goals in 17 games, a defensive platform praised by sport director Youri Mulder.
- A 1–2 defeat at Eintracht Braunschweig exposed chance-creation issues, and coach Miron Muslic voiced pride in the progress while vowing a stronger return after the pause.
- Transfer links remain unconfirmed: Dutch reports say contact has been made for ADO Den Haag centre-back Matteo Waem, while German reports identify BK Häcken captain Simon Gustafson as a free creative option.