Guys, here's the Muslic plan: Schalke miracle healer drives Royal Blue crazy

The history of FC Schalke 04 has been marked by ever-new horror diagnoses in recent years. The decline of the former giant shocked all of Germany. It seemed unstoppable. But then the club hired a miracle worker. He turned out to be the opposite of a charlatan.

When FC Schalke 04's fans waved a banner reading " Historically worst finish - Have a nice summer break, you losers " as they bid farewell to their summer break in May 2025, the football world had grave concerns about the Ruhr giant. The Royal Blues had barely stumbled across the finish line. 14th place in the second Bundesliga in the 2024/2025 season was, as much as we can say five months later, the final sign of the storied club's eternal decline.

A miracle worker named Miron Muslic has taken on the task. His record? Breathtaking. His secret? A complete understanding of a club that no one could understand for a long time. With eight wins from ten league games, the Austrian with Bosnian roots has already collected almost as many wins this season as his predecessors Karel Geraerts, Jakob Fimpel, and Kees van Wonderen in the entire last season. With 24 points, he is now only 14 points behind last year's tally. A relegation candidate is becoming a promotion candidate.

Karaman: "We all believe in it"

Muslic has created a monster at Schalke. One that lunges at the opponent with multiple legs. One that robs the opponent of their breath. One that is driven by the chorus of madmen in the Veltins Arena, whose dreams of promotion are no longer confined to their wildest dreams. It is a royal blue monster without mercy. Just like on Friday in the 1-0 (1-0) win against SV Darmstadt. A game that catapulted FC Schalke 04 back to the top of the table, at least for one night ( the highlights here on RTL+ ).

"We want to disrupt the opponent intensely. We want to take away their ideas and then reward ourselves. And we did that, right in the first minutes with the goal and with our pressing," enthused captain Kenan Karaman in the mixed zone after the game. He had stood there in May with red eyes and talked about his pain. That has long since given way to absolute conviction. "Of course, the coach helped us a lot, gave us a lot, gave us a style, gave us an idea, and we all believe in it," said Karaman.

The early goal Karaman spoke about came in the ninth minute. A dreamy through ball from new signing Soufiane El-Faouzi, a well-considered finish from Moussa Sylla, a wave of euphoria. It carried Schalke 04 through the rest of the game.

Schalke's keys to success

The chronically cash-strapped club unearthed the 23-year-old midfielder El-Faouzi from third-division Alemannia Aachen in the summer. He is a symbol of the transformation in Gelsenkirchen. Alongside Ron Schallenberg, the Siegen native shines with his eye for goal, confidence, and technique. Behind them, the defense, organized by Nikola Katic, clears up the pitch. Another new signing, from Plymouth Argyle. And if everything goes wrong, the once tragic figure of Lloris Karius, one of the best goalkeepers in the 2. Bundesliga, will be in goal. He instills fear in his opponents about finishing.

But none of this would have been possible without coach Muslic. New Schalke boss Frank Baumann scouted him out at English second-division relegated side Plymouth Argyle. Just a few months later, he already achieved cult status in Gelsenkirchen. Just as his players throw themselves into every challenge on the pitch and always put an extra man on the defense, Muslic has passionately embraced his new surroundings.

The Muslic Plan

During the week, he was seen on Sky singing the old Schalke song about his travels through Europe. The song about the victories against Roda, Trabzon, and Bruges didn't sound embarrassing, ingratiating, or forced. It came from his soul. He has dedicated himself to the club with that soul. With that soul, he reaches the hearts of the fans, who have been following the Knappen's nosedive for years, yearning for happiness. Half-jokingly, they're already talking about a memorial for Muslic. Of course, it's still a long way from that.

No matter. Muslic's plan is inspiring. At first glance, it's quite simple: press until the last man. So far, no one has been able to stop him. That will change. Winning streaks don't last forever. But for now, for this moment, the plan is perfect. It's being developed anyway. The complete focus on defensive stability has long since been refined with playful elements.

"Basically, we're not looking back. We've drawn a line under last season and even the last two seasons," Muslic said after the win against Darmstadt. "We've taken a new path. A new dynamic, a new sense of togetherness. That's how we approach every game. That's why we have a chance of winning Bundesliga games." These are still only second-tier Bundesliga games. "We'll keep letting the fans dream, and we'll focus on the work on the pitch," says the 43-year-old. That's Muslic's plan, which has long since turned failures into beacons of hope.