Last-place Schalke must overcome suspensions, injuries

BERLIN (AP) — Suspensions, injuries and the coronavirus, Schalke must be hoping it can get no worse.

Bottom in the Bundesliga after a club-record 24 games without a win over two seasons, Schalke looks a good candidate to match Tasmania Berlin’s league record of 31 games without a victory from the 1965-66 season.

Not helping matters, Schalke coach Manuel Baum is finding it hard to put a side together for Saturday’s league game at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The club announced Thursday that one unnamed player tested positive for COVID-19 a day earlier. It adds to the injury list of forwards Gonçalo Paciência and Ahmed Kutucu, winger Rabbi Matondo, center back Salif Sané and goalkeeper Ralf Fährmann.

Adding to all that, experienced striker Vedad Ibisevic is on his way out, and Algeria midfielder Nabil Bentaleb and Moroccan midfielder Amine Harit were suspended by the club on Tuesday, when technical director Michael Reschke also agreed to leave with immediate effect.

Reschke, who joined the Gelsenkirchen-based club in 2019, had been responsible for squad planning among other duties.