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Sporting director Peter Knäbel: Ambitious goals with FC Schalke 04

Photo: IMAGO/Thomas Pakusch / IMAGO/Pakusch

FC Schalke 04's renewed relegation from the Bundesliga has only been confirmed for a few weeks, but this has apparently not changed the club's ambitious goals. At the general meeting in Gelsenkirchen, sporting director Peter Knäbel stated that his long-term goal was to be one of the "top six in the Bundesliga" and to achieve a "squad value of 200 million euros".

The basis for this seems to be at least in place with the miners at the moment: Despite the sporting failure, Schalke recorded an increase in membership. Since the previous general meeting in June 2022, the association has grown by 10,000 new members to 170,000.

For 2023, a profit in the single-digit million range was forecast, even after the second relegation in around two years. Schalke had closed the 2022 financial year with a loss of 19.4 million euros.

Schroeder again calls for new distribution key for TV money

CEO Bernd Schröder emphasized: "We have just been relegated, but that doesn't mean we're throwing our long-term goals overboard." However, the 57-year-old also said: "Of course, the achievement of our sporting and financial goals is postponed by relegation."

The CEO once again campaigned for a new distribution key for television money. High-reach clubs with many fans like Schalke would have to get more money. "That's what I and Schalke 04 will fight for," said Schröder.

The Gelsenkirchen-based club recently belonged to the group of clubs that had not agreed to the application for the entry of an investor into the German Football League (DFL). Here, too, the planned distribution of the money played a role.

Höwedes unanimously elected honorary captain

At the meeting, former German national football player Benedikt Höwedes was also elected as the tenth honorary captain of FC Schalke 04. "To be elected to the ranks of honorary captains is a huge honour for me," said the 2014 World Cup winner on stage at the Schalke Arena.

The former defender captained Schalke from 2011 to 2017. According to the club, this is the longest tenure as Schalke captain since the introduction of the Bundesliga for the 1963/64 season. In the 2010/11 season, the now 35-year-old won the DFB-Pokal with the club.

vgl/dpa