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Gelsenkirchen (dpa) - Although he has never played in the Bundesliga, ex-national player Shkodran Mustafi at FC Schalke 04 should become a key figure in the extremely difficult mission to stay up. 

The experience of the world champion in 2014 "is doing us tremendously well in the current situation," said Schalke coach Christian Gross on Tuesday.

However, the 28-year-old defender cannot help with his lightning debut on Wednesday in the DFB Cup game at VfL Wolfsburg (6.30 p.m.), because the professional who came from Arsenal is initially in quarantine.

Therefore, the Austrian Gross (66) has to rebuild his defense for the game in Wolfsburg, as Schalke is sparsely occupied there in the course of a spectacular player swap.

The bottom of the table had lent Turkish international Ozan Kabak to English champions FC Liverpool with coach Jürgen Klopp parallel to the Mustafi deal on Monday - and the new defender, at least in the cup, is not yet able to close the regular player's gap.

Benjamin Stambouli would be an option for the vacant central defender position, the coach announced.

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The badly battered Revierclub does not want to give away the round of 16 game against the third place in the league, the coach assured.

“It's about a lot.

Therefore there is no reluctance. "

The big goal of the Royal Blues remains relegation - despite only eight points from 19 games and a gap to the saving bank of nine points.

What role Mustafi can play, who was not a regular at Arsenal recently, remains to be seen.

Huub Stevens gave an assessment in an interview with Sport1: “He has experience and is a leader on the pitch.

I just hope very hard that he will find his rhythm again to be important on the lawn.

Then Mustafi is an absolute win, "said the 67-year-old, who coached Schalke twice on a long-term basis and stepped in as an interim coach twice in 2019 and 2020 and is retiring from the Schalke supervisory board at the end of the season after three years in office.

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According to coach Gross, there is hope that the defender will be ready for action in the home game against RB Leipzig on Saturday.

If so, Mustafi can count on a place in the starting XI.

"He's fit," said Gross.

The exact quarantine requirements were not initially determined on Tuesday.

The exchange of players also has an important economic facet for the clammy Schalke.

According to media reports, the Bundesliga club could expect income of around 30 million euros for the Kabak loan with an alleged purchase option.

In addition, Mustafi does not burden the Royal Blues' budget too much: According to the media, the transfer was possible because the 28-year-old previously terminated his contract in London and therefore does not cost a transfer.

And his contract only runs until the summer.

Then it will be clear whether the quite well-known winter purchases of the Schalke bosses are enough to prevent the crash from league one.

In addition to Mustafi, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax Amsterdam), Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal FC) and William (VfL Wolfsburg) were recently brought to the Ruhr area as rescuers.

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Mustafi himself, who so far only appeared as a professional for foreign clubs, spoke up on Tuesday via a nine-second video from the quarantine.

After a determined “luck” he clenched his fist in it.

Wolfsburg's coach Oliver Glasner is thinking about rotation before the DFB Cup game against FC Schalke 04.

"It may well be that we make changes in one position or the other," said the Austrian.

Recently, Glasner had made little or no changes to his successful team, which is third in the Bundesliga.

Before the game against the bottom of the table, "all players are fit".

There could be a reunion for Glasner with right-back William, who was loaned to Schalke by VfL just a few days ago.

"I wish him that he gets as many minutes of action as possible in these four months," said Glasner and added with a smile: "I also wish him a lot of wins - in the Bundesliga, however."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210202-99-267507 / 7

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