Schalke win puts it back in Bundesliga big-time
Schalke battled past Fortuna Dusseldorf 1-0to secure promotion to the Bundesliga after a three-year absence.
The Ruhr valley club, whose average attendance per match in the second division this season was more than 60,000 – bigger than most Bundesliga clubs – will return to Germany's top-flight after its relegation in 2023.
Tens of thousands of fans had marched from the city centre to the stadium earlier in the day, ready to celebrate the team's imminent promotion, with club bosses urging spectators not to charge the pitch at the final whistle in the event of a win.
The team did not let them down, with Schalke captain Kenan Karaman bagging the winner in the 15th minute for his 14th goal of the season, making sure of automatic promotion to the Bundesliga with two matches remaining.
Fans lit flares and chanted in the stands on the final whistle but they stayed clear of the pitch, allowing players to soak in the celebrations.
Schalke is now in top spot in 2.Bundesliga with 67 points, with second-placed Paderborn, on 58, and Hannover 96, on 57, in action later on Sunday.
