Schalke held Bayern Munich to a goalless draw at home on Saturday, a result overshadowed by the redemption story of Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius rather than the return of former Schalke man Manuel Neuer to Gelsenkirchen. It was Schalke's first Bundesliga home game since May 2023, and the draw meant Bayern failed to score domestically for the first time in over 18 months, costing them top spot in the table for the first time in almost two years.

Karius, 33, whose reputation never fully recovered from his error-strewn 2018 Champions League final for Liverpool, has endured a turbulent career including unpaid-wage disputes at Besiktas and a mostly peripheral spell at Newcastle. Since joining Schalke in January 2025, he has established himself as first-choice keeper, starting 30 of 34 games last season as the club conceded a league-low 31 goals and won promotion via the 2. Bundesliga title; his contract has since been extended to 2028.