Schalke 04 starts again: Return of the B-Juniors to the league!

Schalke 04 starts again: Return of the B-Juniors to the league!

With great anticipation, the B-Juniors of FC Schalke 04 resumed the competitive operation on February 22, 2025 after a three-month break. There are some remarkable developments in the team that should not only be interested in players but also the fans.

The new U17 coach, Charles Takyi, made his debut on February 16, but the first game in the main round of the DFB youth league against Hamburger SV was anything but gratifying. Schalke narrowly lost the match 1-2. Despite this defeat, the Schalke deserves their place in the main round of the DFB youth league. They had qualified as the second in the preliminary round group in the table after they had to accept two defeats against VfL Bochum in the preliminary round, but also achieved six wins and six draws.

new additions and squad changes

An important player who was raised to the B-Junior team is Lasse Deutschbein. He came from Holstein Kiel in the summer and was appointed to the U17 squad in October 2024, but had no commitment before. With the fixed change, it will now be part of the team.

Charles Takyi commented on the main round and explained that the group consists of very strong teams, which underlines the challenge for his team. The next game will be on RB Leipzig on February 23, followed by other opponents such as Hertha BSC, Hannover 96 and SC Paderborn.

Overview of the DFB youngsters

The 2024/2025 season marks a significant change in German youth football. The A and B-Junior Bundesliga were replaced by the DFB youth league, which is structured in two phases, preliminary and main round. The Schalke young teams are automatically qualified for this league and a descent is not possible. Bundesliga clubs and amateur associations play in the DFB junior league.

The preliminary round consists of a maximum of eight teams per group with a total of 14 match days. The best teams qualify for league A, which includes 24 teams in four groups that are fighting for the German championship. From the round of 16, the title is played in the knockout mode.

An important feature of this new league is the flexibility in changing during the games. Up to seven substitutions are allowed per game, while in the second half of the season all players can be used from an 18-member squad.

In addition, the Schalke U19 will play for qualification for the Junior's DFB Cup this season. The team has secured a place in this exciting competition through the winning of the Westphalia Cup, which is also held in knockout mode and automatically have home rights in the youth teams without performance center against performance centers.