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Schalke's Moussa Sylla celebrates his side's first goal during the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf at Veltins Arena. Bernd Thissen/dpa
Schalke returned to the Bundesliga after three seasons away on Saturday after a 1-0 home win over struggling Fortuna Dusseldorf secured promotion from the second tier.
Top scorer Kenan Karaman grabbed the winner in the 15th minute for one of Germany's best supported clubs. Paderborn are favourites to go up with Schalke.
Karaman's 14 goals have helped fire Schalke back to the big time, while the January signing of Bosnia veteran Edin Džeko gave them impetus for the run-in. Goalkeeper Loris Karius - finding consistency after years of woe following his Champions League final debacle in 2018 - was also a key factor.
"(It feels) Good. Not bad! We wanted this win, we wanted to celebrate with the fans," Dzeko told broadcaster Sky.
Asked whether he will be with the team for the much-awaited derby against Borussia Dortmund next season, he said: "Let's see. First of all, we celebrate. I'm very happy to have decided in January to play here."
Former Cercle Brugge and Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslić was a surprise pick as coach but has masterminded promotion in his first season.
Schalke finished 10th and 14th in the previous two second-tier seasons, the latter of which was their lowest ever finish in the current German league structure adopted in 1963.
Fans will be slightly wary of their return to the top flight given their last promotion in 2022 led to just one season in the Bundesliga before another painful relegation.
As recently as 2018 they had finished second in the Bundesliga, the seventh time Schalke have been runners-up.
But the Royal Blues have never won the Bundesliga title, although they did claim the German championship several times before the Bundesliga came into being.
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Duesseldorf set off pyrotechnics in the background as the two teams greet each other before the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf at Veltins Arena. Bernd Thissen/dpa
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Schalke fans set off fireworks in the stands before the German 2nd Bundesliga soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf at Veltins Arena. Bernd Thissen/dpa
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