FC Schalke 04: The suspensions of the past 10 years
May 2015 Suspended: Kevin-Prince Boateng, Sidney Sam (and Marco Höger, but only as a warning for one week) . Official reason: "We feel that the relationship of trust is no longer there. And we are not convinced that either of them can still help us in the remaining games against Paderborn and Hamburg." – Horst Heldt. Real reason: " I sent Horst Heldt a short text message. In it, I told him what I would do. Ultimately, there was a reaction today that I approve of." – Clemens Tönnies
February 2018 Suspended: Nabil Bentaleb Official reason: "There will always be someone missing from the squad because the squad is now two players larger." – Christian Heidel Real reason: " As far as I understand, it was about qualifying through training, and that didn't look so great for Nabil last week." – Christian Heidel
February 2018 Suspended: Nabil Bentaleb Official reason: "Without going into details: We haven't been happy with his behavior in training recently, which is why he wasn't there in Munich." – Domenico Tedesco Real reason: "Everything is bad when he doesn't play. If we win 5-0 and Nabil only played one half, then he walks around as if we lost 5-0. That can't be right, and that obviously doesn't go down well. And if he feels like he's not playing at the weekend, then he'll train like that. If everyone did that, we'd have a huge problem. Nabil has to change; that's the only way. He's not a bad person, but he doesn't even realize how he comes across anymore." – Christian Heidel
May 2018 Suspended: Max Meyer Official reason: "We cannot tolerate this behavior and these statements. Even more than the inaccurate claims, we are bothered by the bullying allegations, which we reject in the strongest possible terms. Schalke 04 has always behaved correctly towards Max Meyer." True reason 1: "Lately, it all just feels like bullying to me." – Max Meyer True reason 2: "If we're both talking about the same player, not the one you wanted to send away in the summer, but the one who has proven that he can play in the Champions League, can play in the Europa League, is a German international, and, in my opinion, can become a top international player. [...] I don't think Christian Heidel is capable of judging world class." – Meyer's advisor Roger Wittmann
March 2019 Suspended: Nabil Bentaleb Official reason: "Nabil Bentaleb is being transferred to Schalke's U23 team with immediate effect until further notice due to a disciplinary offense." – FC Schalke 04 True reason: "Because the injured Bentaleb did not appear at the home game against Leipzig (0-1) as requested, he has to join the Oberliga team ." – BILD
April 2019 Suspended: Nabil Bentaleb Official reason: "Midfielder Nabil Bentaleb will return to training with the Royal Blues' U23 team until further notice. The 24-year-old was transferred to the Oberliga team by head coach Huub Stevens and his coaching staff on Wednesday (April 24) due to another disciplinary offense." – FC Schalke 04 True reason: "According to BILD information, the Algerian skipped the mandatory German course!"
April 2019 Suspended: Hamza Mendyl Official reason: "For Hamza Mendyl, it is a disciplinary measure that he is currently training with the U23 team." – Huub Stevens True reason: "According to information from Bild newspaper, Mendyl missed several appointments with the dentist. The Royal Blues reportedly made a special arrangement with the practice to stay open later to allow treatment for the left-back."
November 2020 Suspended: Nabil Bentaleb Official reason: "He is undoubtedly an outstanding footballer, there's no doubt about that. However, we have to acknowledge that Schalke and Nabil Bentaleb are clearly not a good fit. There wasn't a single moment, but rather a process. They will part ways by summer 2021 at the latest." – Jochen Schneider Real reason: "When all else fails – a Bentaleb suspension always works!" – 11FREUNDE Bonus anecdote: The suspension hit Bentaleb on his 26th birthday. "I thought I was getting a present from the club. But then I was told I was being suspended." – Nabil Bentaleb
November 2020 Suspended: Amine Harit Official reason: "A few things happened last weekend that we didn't like. Therefore, Amine is being given a time to think things through. He has great sporting potential, but hasn't been able to utilize it in the interests of our team in recent months. We won't abandon Amine, but will work together to get him back to a place where he can contribute his qualities to our club. It's up to Amine to quickly find his way back into the team." – Jochen Schneider True reason: "In Wolfsburg's 2-0 defeat, Harit was substituted after just 39 minutes and disappeared straight into the dressing room – without even giving coach Manuel Baum (41) a second glance." – BILD
November 2020 Immediate contract termination with: Vedad Ibisevic Official reason: "Both Vedad and we had different expectations of his commitment to Schalke 04. From our perspective, it is now better to end our collaboration and part ways on good terms. I have known and valued Vedad for many years – as a player and as a person. Unfortunately, things here at Schalke have not worked out as we had hoped. I would like to expressly emphasize that the emotional outburst in training last Sunday had absolutely nothing to do with this decision – things like that happen in football." – Jochen Schneider Real reason: "I had no problem with him ( Manuel Baum, ed. ). He had a problem with me. He asked me several times for my personal opinion about the team or the difficult sporting situation. That's why I was hired primarily to help the club with my experience. Obviously, he had a different opinion. Afterward, he asked Jochen Schneider to suspend me." – Vedad Ibisevic
September 2023 Suspended: Timo Baumgartl Official explanation: "After the 1-3 defeat at FC St. Pauli (September 23), Timo Baumgartl violated internal rules of conduct in an interview with the TV channel Sky. On Sunday (September 24), the central defender was informed of the corresponding consequences." – FC Schalke 04 True reason: “We’re obviously playing with fire. It’s a risky thing that we’re doing. Then it’s just the way it is that we’re going to concede goals, that’s a fact. That’s the coach’s philosophy. He tells us that. That’s why we do it as a team. But it’s clear – if you look at the first 20, 30 minutes – that it’s brutally difficult when an opponent does it well. Then it’s 1-on-1 at the back, which is of course risky. Against strong teams like Magdeburg or St. Pauli, it will be difficult for us. Then we can’t complain if the score is 3-0 after 30 minutes. He ( Thomas Reis, ed. ) gives us a plan, but of course it’s also a bit difficult for us to see it that way, to act that way. Because we keep running into these situations. We’re constantly communicating, trying to adjust things, but it always comes down to the same thing in the First 30 minutes. If we approach every game like this against strong teams, it will be brutally difficult for us. Then you'll always be behind. You can't always make up two or three goals. You also have to keep a clean sheet and stay compact." – Timo Baumgartl
November 2023 Suspended: Thomas Ouwejan Official reason: "In the match against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday (November 25), Thomas Ouwejan showed a complete lack of respect for head coach Karel Geraerts, the team, and the club with his behavior after being substituted. This has consequences, which were communicated to the defender on Sunday (November 26). Ouwejan refused to shake hands with the head coach after being substituted in the 33rd minute and subsequently provoked an altercation on the sidelines." - FC Schalke 04 Real reason: "When a player behaves like this after such a poor team performance, it shows that he doesn't understand the situation we find ourselves in. He should have shown his emotion after being substituted on the pitch." - André Hechelmann
November 2023 Suspended: Timo Baumgartl Official reason: "I have decided that Timo will be part of the U23 team in the future because I am not satisfied with his performance. In the training sessions over the past few weeks, I have not had the impression that he will help us in the remaining, important competitive matches." – Karel Geraerts Real reason: What Karel Geraerts says.
April 2024 Suspended: Dominick Drexler Official reason: "As a team, we must work closely together in the remaining games to avoid relegation; every individual must subordinate themselves to this goal; we have made that unequivocally clear to the team. Dominick has recently put himself above the team. I have therefore made the decision that Dominick will be part of the U23 team until further notice." – Karel Geraerts True reason: "According to information from SPORT BILD, Drexler threw a chocolate shake against the locker room wall on Sunday after the 1-1 match in Hanover, and the splashing liquid also hit teammates. An angry throw from Drexler, because he had previously spent another 90 minutes on the bench."
June 2024 Suspended: Ralf Fährmann Official reason: "In good and cooperative discussions, the club, player, and advisor have agreed that Ralf will train with the U23 team until further notice. We would like to take this opportunity to thank him for the fruitful discussions and will continue to search for a satisfactory solution." – Marc Wilmots and Ben Manga True reason: "Even though Ralf Fährmann, by his own admission, still considers himself the best goalkeeper at Schalke, he will no longer play for Schalke." – The board of FC Schalke 04
April 2025 Suspended: Aymen Barkok Official reason: "I sent Barkok home. We can't accept this. This doesn't belong at Schalke. We want to focus on the next games. This kind of thing is a distraction. Our club stands for normal behavior. I spoke to Barkok. He admits the mistake and apologized. I told him: Reconsider your actions. It's not just me who's angry, several others are too." Youri Mulder Real reason: "Get the hell out of my room, you dick. If you don't like it."
11freunde
