Major German club to be without its star player for the rest of the season

Schalke 04 will have to manage without Edin Dzeko for the rest of the season. The Bosnian striker sustained a shoulder injury in the play-off final against Italy and will be sidelined for four to six weeks.

Last Tuesday, Bosnia and Herzegovina faced Italy in the final of the World Cup qualifying play-offs. The Balkan nation triumphed on penalties, but Dzeko was forced to leave the pitch in the closing stages of extra time due to a shoulder injury.

The 40-year-old striker announced via the Bosnian Football Association that he will not require surgery and will be sidelined for at least a month. “I don’t need an operation and will need between one month and six weeks to recover,” said Dzeko.

Dzeko’s absence is a major setback for Schalke. The Königsblauen are top of the 2. Bundesliga and could return to the top flight after three years.

The former striker for Manchester City and Inter, among others, signed for the Gelsenkirchen club in January and immediately made his mark. Dzeko scored six times in eight matches and also provided three assists.

It is an extremely exciting season in Germany’s second tier. The 2010/11 Champions League semi-finalists lead the league with 52 points. SV Elversberg and SC Paderborn are just one point behind, followed by Darmstadt and Hannover 96 in fourth and fifth place (50 and 49 points).

In 2021, Schalke were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in thirty years. Although the club returned to the top flight immediately the following year, they were relegated again in 2023. The club have finished in mid-table in the last two seasons.

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