FC Schalke 04 are back in the Bundesliga after three years away, but Miron Muslić has not dressed up the task ahead. “We’ll have to step up two gears this year,” he said, and the opening run explains why. Schalke finished 1st in Bundesliga 2 in 2025/26, start the new campaign in 16th on 0 points, and begin with Augsburg away, Bayern München at home and Union Berlin away.
Muslić's warning and Schalke's start
That is a hard opening sequence for any promoted side, and Schalke do not get much room to settle. FC Augsburg have won three of their last five league matches, Bayern München have four wins and one draw in their last five, and Union Berlin arrive with three wins in five. Those are not fixtures that invite patience.
Schalke’s own case for survival leans on keeping games tight again. They conceded just 10 goals in the first half of last season, and Muslić’s language points to a squad that knows the jump is real. Promotion has been earned. Survival is the separate job.
Džeko and the defensive spine
Edin Džeko's return gives Schalke a different edge. He is back after his initial six-month deal, and this is his first Bundesliga spell since 2011. Youri Mulder said Džeko “brought something special to Schalke during his first months at the club,” adding that he was “a key player and a fan favourite” whose personality “meant he always set an example both on and off the pitch.”
There is risk in leaning on a 40-year-old, but there is also obvious upside in a dressing room that needs standards quickly. Nikola Katić is expected to be part of that spine, with his aerial presence a factor at both ends. Schalke’s first three fixtures will tell them a lot about how much margin they have after the return to the top flight.
The immediate reality is simple enough: Schalke open at Augsburg on the back of a promotion year, and the first home game brings Bayern München before a third straight league test at Union Berlin.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
