What happened on Tuesday?
Schalke travelled to Bielefeld knowing that they needed to win or draw to avoid relegation.
The away side held their own until the second half, when a 50th-minute goal from Fabian Klos finally broke the deadlock. Things went from bad to worse for Schalke in the 71st minute as Malick Thiaw received a second yellow card and was sent off.
Then, when the team bus returned to Gelsenkirchen, fans appeared to chase the vehicle.
What has been said?
The club released a statement on Wednesday morning which read: “During the course of the encounter, some currently unidentified individuals overstepped boundaries that are non-negotiable for FC Schalke 04.
“Despite the understandable frustration and anger with our relegation to the Bundesliga 2, the club can never accept the physical endangerment of our players and staff. That is exactly what occurred during last night’s confrontation. The club strongly condemns this behaviour and stands behind our staff.
“An investigation into the incident is already underway. FC Schalke 04 will give no further comment on this matter until things are cleared up.”
What was the reaction after the game?
After the match, Schalke head coach Dimitrios Grammozis said it was a “very bitter hour for all Schalke supporters”.
“We are brutally disappointed that we now know for certain that we have to go to the second division,” said Grammozis, who only over last month.
“Despite this disappointment we have to look ahead and field a team that will make our fans proud once more.”
How bad have Schalke been?
Tuesday’s defeat summed up Schalke’s tumultuous season, which has seen them lose 21 times.
They’ve only managed two wins this campaign and are on track for the second worst season in Bundesliga history, only bettered by a 1965-66 Tasmania Berlin, who managed to pick up just 10 points.
They also went through five coaches this season, and conceded 76 goals, more than any other Bundesliga team since 2000.
It is a dramatic fall for a club that finished second in the Bundesliga only three seasons ago.
What else is happening in the Bundesliga?
Bayern Munich moved to within one game of retaining their Bundesliga crown after a 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen.
The victory pushes them 10 points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig and helps put a turbulent week past the Bavarian giants, following their Champions League exit to PSG and with head coach Hansi Flick stating his desire to leave the club at the end of the season.
(Photo: Frederic Scheidemann/Getty Images)
