It has been a turbulent week for FC Schalke 04. First the Royal Blues bowed out of the UEFA Champions League to FC Barcelona despite a brave quarter-final second-leg performance at Camp Nou. Then, at the weekend, they lost 5-1 to Werder Bremen to surrender second place, which carries an automatic UEFA Champions League group stage berth.

That result marked the end of the road for Mirko Slomka, with the Schalke board's criticisms of the coach having long since spilled into the media. On Sunday morning, he was dismissed.
Ahead of tonight's Bundesliga visit of FC Energie Cottbus, former player Mike Büskens, who had been coaching the club's fourth division reserve team, was appointed as caretaker coach. The 40-year-old, part of the 1997 UEFA Cup-winning side, said: "Given our situation, only results count. It is very important for the club to qualify for the Champions League."