A 14th goal of the season from Kenan Karaman not only paved the way for win number 20 of the term for FC Schalke 04 on Saturday (02/05), but the captain’s eye-catching strike on 15 minutes against Fortuna Düsseldorf also proved the key to unlock the door back to the top flight for the Knappen. “It makes me really proud to be able to score the goal to clinch promotion, but I am even prouder of the team and the club on the whole”, said the attacker.
Schalke’s number 19 may have shed one or two tears of joy come the the final whistle. “It was very emotional. I can’t put it into words”, explained Karaman. “We have waited a long time for this moment – as a club, as a city, and with everyone in and around the place. The fans have earned this promotion. I am pleased that we were able to use our chance and successfully secure our return to the Bundesliga.”
The forward, who has 31 caps for Türkiye to his name, previously featured for the Knappen at the highest level of football in Germany during the 2022/2023 campaign. That marked a tricky start to life at Schalke, even if he did manage a first goal in Royal Blue – and in the Revierderby, at that.
After relegation, Karaman repeatedly emphasised his desire to take on responsibility, backing up his words with impressive actions. Those do not just include the goals and assists which followed from the 32-year-old, but the club captain was always a dependable figure even during times of lesser sporting success in the two subsequent seasons.
Miron Muslic praises his skipper
“Kenan always leads the way”, was the appraisal from head coach Miron Muslic. “He is an exceptional player and an outstanding captain. I am therefore especially pleased that he was the one to score the goal to send us up.”
Securing promotion with games to spare is a result of the hard work put in over the course of the past months, accentuates Karaman: “The last few years were not easy. However, since day one under Miron Muslic, we have given our all in every training session and every match and believed in ourselves through it all”, reported the Schalke number 19. The Royal Blues’ greatest strength is their cohesion, according to the right-footed forward. “We are a collective. Together we have brought FC Schalke 04 back where it belongs – in the Bundesliga!”
- FC Schalke
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