Overview
- Kickoff is 13:00 local on Saturday at the Wildparkstadion, with live and exclusive coverage on Sky and the streaming service WOW from 12:30.
- Schalke arrive as league leaders on a five-match winning run in the 2. Bundesliga despite a 0:4 DFB-Pokal defeat at Darmstadt three days earlier.
- Karlsruhe were also knocked out of the cup by Mönchengladbach and sit seventh after a 4:1 win at Fürth, backed by four wins in five home games and a notably physical approach.
- Muslic confirmed Vitalie Becker returns to the starting lineup, while Christian Gomis and Christopher Antwi-Adjei remain unavailable, with Peter Remmert in line for possible minutes.
- Previews and betting tips marginally favor Schalke due to their strong away record and defense, though markets suggest a close contest, and Muslic’s Leroy Sané remark was a joking aside rather than a transfer signal.