Bundesliga Gameweek 8
FC Schalke 04 0 - 2 FT RB Leipzig
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Antonio Nusa 37'
HT
51' Timo Becker
57' ↓ Junior Chukwubuike Adamu ↑Dejan Ljubičić
↓ Rocco Reitz ↑Christoph Baumgartner 61'
68' ↓ Mertcan Ayhan ↑Edin Džeko
↓ Benjamin Henrichs ↑Ridle Baku 76'
↓ Brajan Gruda ↑Tidiam Gomis 76'
Rômulo José Cardoso da Cruz (Antonio Nusa) 78'
83' ↓ Hwang Hee-Chan ↑Bryan Lasme
83' ↓ Timo Becker ↑Junior Dina Ebimbe
↓ Ezechiel Banzuzi ↑Nicolas Seiwald 85'
↓ Rômulo José Cardoso da Cruz ↑Johan Bakayoko 85'
86' Adil Aouchiche
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
FC Schalke 04
Goalkeepers
Loris Karius 
OCTOPUS
8
Saves
8
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Mertcan Ayhan 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
Nikola Katic 
SWEEPER
3
Cleanups
3
Cleanups
3
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Hasan Kuruçay
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Timo Becker
LATE SHIFT
7
Late Mins
7
Late Mins
83
Total Mins
83
Entry
Kenan Karaman 
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
4
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Satoshi Tanaka
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Adil Aouchiche
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
2
Interceptions
2
Blocks
Vitalie Becker 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
6
Tackles
50%
Duel Win %
Forwards
Junior Adamu
SWEEPER
3
Cleanups
3
Cleanups
2
Interceptions
1
Blocks
Hwang Hee-Chan 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
26%
Pass Acc
BENCH
Kevin Müller 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Junior Dina Ebimbe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
7
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. Gashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Dejan Ljubičić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
33
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Finn Porath
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Edin Džeko
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Bryan Lasme
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
7
Total Mins
Started
Entry
RB Leipzig
Goalkeepers
Maarten Vandevoordt
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Benjamin Henrichs 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Willi Orbán
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Castello Lukeba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
David Raum
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
81%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Brajan Gruda 
DRIBBLER
9
Dribbles
9
Dribbles
12
Attempts
75%
Success %
Rocco Reitz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
61
Total Mins
61
Entry
Neil El Aynaoui 
MAGNET
73
Activity
73
Activity
62
Passes
11
Duels
Ezechiel Banzuzi
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
11
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Antonio Nusa
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
37%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Rômulo 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
BENCH
Ørjan Nyland
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Max Finkgräfe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdoul Koné
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ridle Baku
PROVOCATEUR
2
Fouls Won
2
Fouls Won
5
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Christoph Baumgartner
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
29
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Nicolas Seiwald
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tidiam Gomis
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christopher Nkunku
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Johan Bakayoko
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/27/2023 | RB Leipzig | 4 - 2 | FC Schalke 04 | Bundesliga | Red Bull Arena |
| 01/24/2023 | FC Schalke 04 | 1 - 6 | RB Leipzig | Bundesliga | VELTINS-Arena |
| 02/06/2021 | FC Schalke 04 | 0 - 3 | RB Leipzig | Bundesliga | VELTINS-Arena |
| 10/03/2020 | RB Leipzig | 4 - 0 | FC Schalke 04 | Bundesliga | Red Bull Arena |
| 02/22/2020 | FC Schalke 04 | 0 - 5 | RB Leipzig | Bundesliga | VELTINS-Arena |
| 09/28/2019 | RB Leipzig | 1 - 3 | FC Schalke 04 | Bundesliga | Red Bull Arena |
| 03/16/2019 | FC Schalke 04 | 0 - 1 | RB Leipzig | Bundesliga | VELTINS-Arena |
| 10/28/2018 | RB Leipzig | 0 - 0 | FC Schalke 04 | Bundesliga | Red Bull Arena |
| 01/13/2018 | RB Leipzig | 3 - 1 | FC Schalke 04 | Bundesliga | Red Bull Arena |
| 08/19/2017 | FC Schalke 04 | 2 - 0 | RB Leipzig | Bundesliga | VELTINS-Arena |
05/27/2023
01/24/2023
02/06/2021
10/03/2020
02/22/2020
09/28/2019
03/16/2019
10/28/2018
01/13/2018
08/19/2017
FC Schalke 04 Win
RB Leipzig Win
Draw
League Standings
P: 7 GD: +19
P: 7 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +11
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -10
P: 7 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -12
P: 8 GD: -11
League Standings
P: 7 GD: +19
P: 7 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +11
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: 0
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: -1
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -10
P: 7 GD: -3
P: 7 GD: -7
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 7 GD: -12
P: 8 GD: -11
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
FC Schalke 04
RB Leipzig
FC Schalke 04
RB Leipzig
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Eight Saves, Then the Second Goal
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 40/100. RB Leipzig earned a deserved away win and strengthened their position in the top half, while FC Schalke 04 remain under pressure in the relegation play-off place.
The Opening Act: Leipzig Take Control
At VELTINS-Arena, FC Schalke 04 were forced into a long defensive shift almost immediately. RB Leipzig took the ball and pushed the hosts deep. Leipzig dominated possession with 60 per cent, struck 18 shots and created six big chances; Schalke managed six attempts and only one on target. Yet this was not a comfortable cruise for the visitors. L. Karius kept Schalke within reach with eight saves, repeatedly denying Leipzig the breathing room their pressure deserved. Leipzig's 2.72 expected goals against Schalke's 0.58 capture the difference in threat. The hosts had only two shots from inside the box, compared with 13 for Leipzig. That Balance favoured the visitors early, but Karius held the scoreline close; his saves gave Schalke hope without easing the pressure around their own box.
The Pivot: A Brief Reprieve
The breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute, when Antonio Nusa converted a penalty for Leipzig. It rewarded the visitors' pressure, but the half could have ended with a wider gap. Rômulo José Cardoso da Cruz scored in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, only for VAR to cancel the goal. That intervention changed the shape of the match: Schalke reached the dressing room one goal behind rather than facing a second. It was a reprieve, not a reversal. Leipzig continued to find forward routes; 14 key passes and 89 balls into the final third show how often the visitors accessed danger areas. The Intensity came from Leipzig's repeated probing and Schalke's defensive labour, not from an end-to-end contest. VAR kept the score close, but could not erase the gap in attacking threat.
The Resolution: The Second Goal
Schalke's reprieve ended in the 78th minute. Nusa turned provider, setting up Rômulo José Cardoso da Cruz to make it 0-2. The goal reflected the afternoon: Leipzig kept finding routes into the box, while the hosts had no convincing answer. D. Raum supplied four key passes and helped drive attacks into the final third; Nusa's penalty and assist ultimately settled the contest. Before kick-off, Schalke were 16th on six points, in the relegation play-off place. This defeat keeps pressure on the hosts, though the season remains early. Leipzig started the day sixth with 12 points and takes three more into the upper half of the table. The Stakes are immediate for Schalke: Karius's eight saves made Leipzig work for a clean sheet, but could not prevent a deserved away win.
Key Question
How did VAR change this match?
VAR disallowed Rômulo José Cardoso da Cruz's goal just before half-time, keeping Schalke one goal behind.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Twenty against four: the attacking gap is clear
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 41/100. Our verdict: Leipzig's scoring power exposes Schalke's limited attack, but the hosts' tighter defensive record gives them a route to keep this close.
The Setup
On October 31, 2026, 16th-place FC Schalke 04 host fifth-place RB Leipzig at Veltins Arena. Seven matches into the league season, six points separate them: Leipzig have 12, Schalke six. The attacking gap is sharper still: Leipzig have scored 20 goals, Schalke four. Schalke have conceded seven to Leipzig's 11, but are still seeking a first home win after three matches. Form: Schalke's listed five-match sequence is DLLDW; Leipzig's is WLWLW. Balance: Leipzig carry more attacking threat, but their defence has given up more. Stakes: Schalke need points to climb from 16th. Stars:T. Gomis has 3 goals and 1 assist in 5 matches, averaging a 7.4 rating.
Key Battle
Schalke's defensive block must get beyond Leipzig's press without losing the ball in the first wave. If the home side uses the wings quickly and wins second balls, it can attack the space behind Leipzig's advancing line. Leipzig must close the central passing lanes and force Schalke into a slow build-up. That unit-versus-unit contest decides whether Schalke can turn compact defending into dangerous transitions or spend the match chasing possession.
Our Prediction
Leipzig are our pick for a 2-0 away win. They have scored five times as many league goals, while Schalke have offered little in attack. Expect the hosts to stay compact as Leipzig circulate the ball and probe between the lines. A Leipzig opener would force Schalke to press higher, leaving room for further breaks. Schalke's best route is to win the ball early and make those transitions count.