*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches: 

Schalke last 3 home matches: 

Augsburg last 5 matches: 

Augsburg last 3 away matches: 

Bundesliga table positions: Schalke - 5, Augsburg - 18

Sunday in the German Bundesliga with Schalke 04 attempting to jump a few spots and close the gap from current leaders with this match against newly promoted Augsburg.

Schalke 04 currently on the 5th spot of the table with a total of 25 points in all 14 played. They sit just four points below leaders Dortmund but feeling the pressure from Bayer Leverkusen after their Friday win.

Two victories for them in their last 3 played, including this weeks’s win over Steaua Bucharest that granted them access in the next phase of Europa League. Nevertheless their form seems to alternate and Schalke’s main problem seems to be the defensive compartment.

Augsburg seems destined for a quick return to the 2nd league of Germany as they are on the last spot of the chart with just 11 points managed in all 14 games played.

Their last week surprising victory over Wolfsburg certainly gave them a good morale boost and with only 3 points separating them from the safe zone, Augsburg still retains chances.

My pick:  Schalke 04 to win ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Dortmund last 5 matches: 

Dortmund last 3 home matches: 

Schalke last 5 matches: 

Schalke last 3 away matches: 

Serie A table positions: Borussia Dortmund - 2, Schalke - 4

A very exciting game in the German Bundesliga on Saturday as raining champions Borussia Dortmund welcome the ever dangerous Schalke 04.

Borussia Dortmund seems to be back in form and even if they lost their last match played, this week away to Arsenal in the Champions League, they managed to advance considerably in the Bundesliga table in recent weeks.

Great form for them in home matches as well as Borussia Dortmund managed no less than five consecutive victories in recent games, with a strong offensive force and a defensive to match.

Schalke 04 is close by, with a current total of 25 points, they are just one bellow their adversaries and just three from leaders Bayern Munchen.

Great form for them this time in away games, managing four victories and a draw in the latest played, apparently with an emphasis on defense.

My pick:  Borussia Dortmund to win ( over 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 home matches:

Kaiserslautern last 5 matches:

Kaiserslautern last 3 away matches:

Bundesliga table positions: Schalke - 4, Kaiserslautern - 16

With round 9 of the Bundesliga underway, last match scheduled on Saturday as Schalke 04 welcome Kaiserslautern.

Schalke 04 seem to have recovered after a poor start to the new campaign, especially when compared to their aspirations after the summer transfers.

They are now on the 4th spot of the table with a total of 15 points, 4 below leaders Bayern Munchen and two from second in line Werder Bremen. With 3 straight victories in the last 3 played, Schalke’s morale should be high and a home match is always the venue for a spectacle.

Kaiserslautern on the other hand is only on the 16th spot of the charts, managing so far to gather only 5 points in all 8 played, slipping precariously in the danger zone.

They managed to win just one match in this season of the Bundesliga and lost no less than 5 reaching a -7 goal balance.

My pick:  Schalke 04 to win ( under 2.5 goals )

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke 3 home matches:

Koln last 5 matches:

Koln 3 away matches: 

Second round in the new season of the German Bundesliga starting off on Saturday with the opening match as Schalke 04 welcomes FC Koln.

Poor start to the season for Schalke as they where defeated last week away to Stuttgart 3-0 the final score, putting a real dent in their ambitions after the summer transfers.

No doubt that they had a though start to the competition with a trip to a very strong team but the scoreline was way to harsh for anyone to endure and a any result less than a victory against Koln will be devastating for them.

FC Koln with a similar  start, this time they where defeated at home by Wolfsburg 0-3. The match was close for most of the time with Wolfsburg leading by one goal from the 17th minute but the elimination of Novakovic in the 79′ minute opened the way for the opposing side to score two more goals.

They will most certainly play a defensive game here hoping to surprise Schalke on the counter-attack with confidence that they can achieve a positive result given their opponent’s low morale.

My pick:  Schalke 04 to win ( over 2.5 goals )

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

*matches in all competitions

Manchester United last 5 matches:

Manchester United last 3 away matches:

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 away matches:

With a 2 goal advantage taken in Germany last week, Manchester United should have no problem in disposing of Schalke 04 this Wednesday and reach the final of the 2010-2011 Champions League season.

Manchester United once again in the hunt for the Champions League trophy and a qualification to the final most likely in the bag after they managed a good performance away to Schalke 04 last week that gave them an important 2 goal advantage.

Some problems for them in the Premier League as they lost away to Arsenal and now hold just a 3 point advantage over Chelsea, which they will meet this weekend for a league final.

It’s hard to predict how these series of though matches will affect them and how motivated they will be with their current lead against the most surprising of teams in the UCL this season.

Schalke’s dream run this season seems to be over. The German side managed a great performance to reach this semi-final as their position and results in the Bundesliga would not have gave them any hope as the season unfolded.

They are currently on the 10th spot of their domestic league with virtually no chances in getting a spot in next season’s European tournaments and with 3 straight losses in all competition to date their morale is low to even attempt a major surprise here.

My pick:  Manchester United to win ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 away matches:

Manchester last 5 matches:

Manchester last 3 away matches:

Semi-Finals in the Champions League with the first one to begin on Tuesday as the surprising Schalke 04 will welcome Manchester United.

Although they have had a very though season in the Bundesliga, Schalke’s run in the Champions League is to be admired as the German side managed to eliminate Valencia and especially last year’s champions Inter in the Knock out stages.

They will have a though match on their hand against one of the teams favorite to win the trophy but Schalke has been showing a different side in this competition when compared to the domestic league and with a home match it’s a great opportunity for them to prove that their run was more than luck.

Manchester United apparently with the easiest opponent that they could have gotten in this stage as in the other semi-final Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona go head to head.

They top the Premier League with another champions title to their name this season but with some problems lately, especially in away matches.

My pick:  Draw ( under 2.5 goals )

*matches in all competitions

Schalke last 5 matches:

Schalke last 3 away matches:

Inter last 5 matches:

Inter last 3 away matches:

After their surprising victory in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, Schalke is favorite for qualifying against the trophy holders Inter.

Having got a 3 goal advantage in the superb 2-5 victory on Giuseppe Meazza, Schalke 04 is clearly favorite in getting trough to the next round of the UCL.

Great results lately for the team that not long ago was threaten by relegation, no less than 5 victories in the last 6 matches played in all competition making Schalke rise to the 9th spot of the Bundesliga and ready to produce yet another surprise in Europe.

Inter with little or no chances for this qualification as Schalke could close the game from the first minute and defend their advantage.

They managed to get a victory over Chievo last week in the Serie A but their game was far from good with both of their goals in the last part of the match.

My pick:  Draw ( under 2.5 goals )

St. Pauli last 5 league matches: 

St. Pauli last 3 home matches:

Schalke last 5 league matches: 

Schalke last 3 away match: 

Table positions: St. Pauli -16, Schalke -10

St. Pauli home table position: -17

Schalke away table position: -16

Bundesliga kick back in on Friday with the only match of the day between two teams in the lower part of the table as St. Pauli welcomes Schalke 04.

St. Pauli although with a promising start to the season in the first division ended up on a disappointing 16th spot of the table after losing the last 5 league matches.

They are still in the books for avoiding relegation but their play needs big improvement and maybe the international game break could bring them back in. Home statistic is no reason for optimism either with 4 victories and 3 draws in all 14 played and a negative goal balance.

Despited the fact that they won only one match in their last 5 played in the Bundesliga, Schalke 04 seems to compensate in the other competitions involved with major victories in the DFB Pokal against the mighty Bayern Munchen and Champions League against Valencia.

Their strategy is mostly based on these other 2 competitions as their prospects to get even and Europa League spot for next season in the Bundesliga are very low.

My pick:  Draw  ( over 2.5 goals )