2. Bundesliga Topspiel preview: FC Schalke 04 vs. 1. FC Magdeburg | OneFootball

With Schalke eager to consolidate their position at the summit and Magdeburg desperate to reassert control over their survival bid, Saturday’s Topspiel promises tension at both ends of the table. 

FC Schalke 04

Despite a near-disastrous start to 2026 that saw them collect just one win from their opening five league matches of the calendar year, Schalke remain top of the table - a testament to the consistency they showed earlier in the campaign under Miron Muslić. The Royal Blues sit first, one point clear of second-placed Darmstadt, with Elversberg, Hannover and Paderborn all within striking distance in a fiercely competitive promotion race.

They finally halted their slump last time out. First-half goals from Kenan Karaman and Hasan Kuruçay secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory away at Holstein Kiel. While Schalke were made to sweat during a tense second half, they demonstrated resilience and game management - traits essential for any side with promotion ambitions.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Muslić stressed the league’s unforgiving nature:

“Every game in the 2. Bundesliga is a 50-50 contest. You’re not automatically the favourite, just because you’re a top-four side playing against a team further down the league. We’re still absolutely determined to take three points from this game, though, because this is Schalke!”

Schalke boast the third-best home record in the division and have lost just once at the Veltins-Arena this season. They will also draw confidence from September’s reverse fixture, where a Karaman brace sealed a 2-0 win in Magdeburg.

Team news: 

Vitalie Becker, Tomáš Kalas, Bryan Lasme, Emil Højlund and Henning Matriciani remain sidelined. Adrian Gantenbein and Timo Becker are available again after recent knocks.

Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): 

Karius (GK) - T. Becker, Katić, Kuruçay, N’Diaye - El-Faouzi, Schallenberg - Ljubičić, Karaman, Aouchiche - Džeko 

1. FC Magdeburg

Magdeburg entered 2026 as one of the division’s in-form sides under Petrik Sander, seemingly pulling clear of danger. However, three defeats in their last five outings have dragged them back into the unforgiving relegation scrap. They currently occupy 16th place, level on points with 15th and only two clear of the automatic drop zone heading into the weekend.

Their most recent setback - a disappointing 2-0 home loss to Arminia Bielefeld - halted their momentum. Usually influential figures such as Mateusz Żukowski and Barış Atik struggled to impose themselves, and Magdeburg’s attacking patterns lacked their usual incision in the final third.

Sander was full of praise for Schalke in the build-up:

“Schalke has strengthened well and invested heavily in their attack. They have defensive stability combined with quality in attack - that makes them very dangerous. I think they will be in the promotion race until the very end,”

Interestingly, Magdeburg’s recent away form offers real encouragement. They have won four consecutive league matches on the road, scoring an impressive 13 goals in that run. They will also remember fondly their last visit to the Veltins-Arena - a remarkable 5-2 victory in round 20 of last season, inspired by four goals from Martijn Kaars.

Team news: 

Luka Hyryläinen, Samuel Loric and Tarek Chahed remain long-term absentees, while Daniel Heber is also unavailable.

Predicted lineup (4-3-3): 

Reimann (GK) - Musonda, Hugonet, Müller, Nollenberger - Stalmach, Mathisen, Ulrich - Ghrieb, Żukowski, Atik