Bundesliga promoted Schalke: "It's unbelievable what happened here, galactic!"

Goalscorer Simon Terodde sank to the grass and cried tears of joy.

Sports director Rouven Schröder wore a T-shirt with the inscription "Glück Auf Steiger".

And the fans of FC Schalke, who stormed the field in their thousands to the chagrin of the security forces, secured pieces of the pitch and the goal nets for themselves, initially enthusiastic about their club's return to the Bundesliga.

Right from the start of the long royal blue night of partying, things were emotional and exuberant.

The happy ending in the 3:2 (0:2) promotion thriller over FC St. Pauli excited everyone involved.

“We will still be talking about this evening, about this dramaturgy, in a decade or two.

I'm happy for this club, which has suffered a lot in recent years," enthused the visibly moved football coach Mike Büskens.

Sports director Schröder chose similarly pathetic words: "Schalke 04 is alive again."

The course of the game matched the changeable course of the season of the Revierklub, who seemed hopelessly beaten in December as the bottom of the table.

After the two early goals by Hamburg's Igor Matanovic (9th/17th), the leaders were 2-0 down, but kept their nerve and after goals from Simon Terodde (47th/foulelfmeter/71st) and the former St. Pauli professionals Rodrigo Zalazar (78th) completed the fourth promotion to the Bundesliga prematurely.

"Incredible, Unbelievable"

"It had to be exactly the way it happened today for the Schalke soul.

It's unbelievable what happened here, galactic," commented Schröder.

In the 81st minute, St. Paulis saw Marcel Beifus red after a rude foul, while Matanovic received a yellow card in injury time.

But nobody was interested in that anymore at Schalke.

"It was our dream.

You just have to fight for dreams, you don't get them for free.

Huge respect for this squad, what the gas have given.

Unbelievable, unbelievable,” said an overjoyed coach Büskens.

The Schalke metamorphosis began at the latest with the change of coach from Dimitrios Grammozis to the interim solution Büskens at the beginning of March.

Seven wins in eight games under the direction of the former professional paved the way back to the football upper house.

Even the separation from long-term main sponsor Gazprom did not throw the club, which was plagued by financial problems, off track.

“It has been an incredible journey to date.

We have developed a sensational spirit,” said Büskens.

Not only in the stadium was celebrated.

The streets of the Revierstadt were also buzzing after the victory.

The pros celebrated just as exuberantly as the fans.

"Tonight we turn night into day.

It doesn't give a damn today, we're going uphill without end," announced midfielder Danny Latza on the way out of the dressing room.

However, there were also several injuries.

As the Gelsenkirchen police announced on Sunday, "several people" fell and were injured when around 2,000 fans stormed the square.

They were "first aided by rescue workers on site and then taken to nearby hospitals by ambulance".

A police officer was also injured in a scuffle with a Schalke fan.

A total of 20 criminal charges were filed, including charges of bodily harm, insult and theft.

According to the police, pyrotechnics were ignited 144 times around the game.

In the meantime, according to the stadium spokesman, there was a risk of the game being abandoned.

Table leaders Schalke defied the 0-2 deficit at the break and paved the way for their fourth promotion to the Bundesliga with a brilliant final sprint.

Second division autumn champions St. Pauli have said goodbye to the promotion race after the sixth game in a row without a win.

With a three point gap to the second HSV and the third Darmstadt and the significantly worse goal difference, there are only theoretical chances.

Werder Bremen can also advance to second place in Aue with a win on Sunday (1.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky).

As in the 1: 4 two weeks ago at the same place against Bremen, the great expectations made things difficult for Schalke.

In the presence of the Revierclub legends "Eurofighter", who celebrated their 25th anniversary this weekend after the UEFA Cup triumph in 1997, they were close to a dream start.

Goalscorer Terodde appeared alone in front of the opposing goal after a mistake by defender Beifus in the first minute, but was denied by guest keeper Dennis Smarsch.

But the “Kiezkicker”, weakened by various corona cases, kept a cool head in the heated stadium atmosphere and immediately took the first chance.

Jackson Irvine heeled a pass from Leart Paqarada to Matanovic, who put the ball ahead with a shot from the turn.

When the only 19-year-old attacker scored again just eight minutes later after another pass from Irvine and a subsequent solo, Schalke was sobered.

Nonetheless, the league leaders reacted positively and, driven by their fans, pressed the Hamburg goal.

Despite all his zeal, he was careless with his opportunities.

Dominick Drexler and Terodde (33rd) missed the possible goal in a questionable manner after a cross from Marius Bülter.

A penalty whistle from referee Marco Fritz shortly after the restart revived Schalke.

This time Terodde did not miss this chance to score and converted safely.

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That was the beginning of another phase of pressure for the hosts.

The guest coverage did not withstand the growing pressure for long.

Terodde was there again and turned the home arena into a madhouse.

However, Zalazar, who had just come on as a substitute, provided the highlight and final point.

After a pass from Bülter, the joker plucked up courage and perfected Schalke's luck with a powerful shot under the bar.