Daily Schmankerl: Schalke introduces one-step plan to walk off pitch, Bayern establishes anti-hate commission, Nübel benched?

Schalke 04 promises to stop game at first sign of “hate acts” (Bild)

Schalke’s executive board issued a statement on the eve of Bayern Munich’s DFB-Pokal match in Gelsenkirchen. They said,

Should such events be seen during the Pokal match against FC Bayern Munich, the game against Hoffenheim [on Saturday], or in future games, our team will leave the pitch — regardless of the duration of the game, the result, or any potential consequences.

Schalke’s coach David Wagner said, “I think it’s good.” And Bayern’s own CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, “A consistent attitude. We will coordinate with them as to how we will proceed in case of doubt.”

Bild says that they expect the Bayern ultras to behave, while the Schalke fans will supposedly display banners with “clear allusions to people” but without specific insults.

Bayern Munich establishes commission “against exclusion, hate, and baiting” (FCBayern.com, Bild)

Bayern Munich has created an “internal commission” in response to the incident involving Bayern’s ultras in Sinsheim on Saturday. The purpose of the commission is to “investigate the events of Saturday” and to devise short and medium-term measures for “cases of racism, abuse, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia and exclusion of any kind.”

The commission will collaborate with an special investigative team established for the same purpose by the police in Mannheim and other authorities. Bayern also proposes a meeting with teh DFB, DFL, and all 36 clubs of the 1. and 2. Bundesliga.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge made a live appearance on Bild online in which he declared that Bayern would not go back to “business as usual” after Saturday. Rummenigge promised that the club would find and punish the people behind the banners targeting Hoffenheim’s Dietmar Hopp. He said,

They of course have to expect that they will be punished lastingly by Bayern Munich. We do not want to see this ugly face of FC Bayern ever again.

Rummenigge suggested that he feels dialogue with the ultras has only moved in one direction, against the club.

I am a friend of dialogue, but dialogue has not resulted in our reaching any solution that has thus far been accepted by the ultras. I always have the impression that we’re on a one-way street, in which the clubs have to give and the fans only want to take, but are not prepared to correct their own behavior in any way and to that effect serve the interest of soccer.

Rummenigge also addressed the oft-heard critique that Bayern should end its relationship with Qatar and Qatar Airways. He praised the progress in labor and human rights that has supposedly occurred since the European soccer world became engaged. He pointedly contrasted the Qataris readiness to compromise with the intransigence of the Bayern ultras:

Dialogue with Qatar has accomplished something positive in the end. I would wish for something analogous with the ultras in the Bundesliga.

Watzke: Jadon Sancho “very happy” at Dortmund ahead of key transfer window (BBC)

All of 19 years old, Jadon Sancho is one of the very best players in the Bundesliga. How long will he stay, however? Young, supremely talented, and English, Sancho has drawn ravenous attention from the Premier League, not to mention the usual handful of European heavyweight clubs.

Borussia Dortmund may sell Sancho later rather than sooner — if at all — as the club eyes a chance to make a run at titles with Sancho and Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland manning their offense.

BVB chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke told BBC Sport, “We have enough money. We want to have titles. I think this team has a lot more potential with Jadon than without Jadon.”

Watzke said, “I think he has the feeling that the club does have a good future. In my opinion, I don’t think he wants to leave.”

Peace, Love, and Racism as RB Leipzig kicks out group of Japanese spectators (kicker)

RB Leipzig did its part to remind people why they are the most hated club in the Bundesliga despite the shenanigans in Sinsheim by kicking a group of Japanese tourists out of their stadium on Sunday ten minutes after kickoff.

Ushers at the game had supposedly been instructed to monitor people from risk areas more carefully, the club claimed. They said in a rather mealymouthed statement, “Unfortunately, in this specific case in the course of the great uncertainty that currently surrounds this topic, also with us, a mistake occurred in the interpretation [of the instruction] with respect to our Japanese guests.”

At least RB Leipzig reacted swiftly to apologize and make nice. The Japanese group is quoted in RB Leipzig’s release stating that they were aware the action was solely on account of the coronavirus and they are “looking ahead now after the constructive exchange.”

Alexander Nübel on the bench today — and until season’s end? (Bild)

Schalke coach David Wagner danced around one of the biggest questions dogging him since Alexander Nübel’s upcoming free transfer to Bayern Munich became public knowledge and Nübel’s performances became a public embarrassment.

Nübel made yet another error when Schalke visited Cologne. He was credited — if that’s the word for it — with an own-goal when he somehow sent a ball he was picking up into the net behind him.

Schalke coach Wagner refused to say he was benching Nübel outright. He told the media, “I prefer not to cut open that topic today. I will first speak with both of them about it.”

Nübel had tears in his eyes as the fans changed “Nübel raus!” Bayern can expect Markus Schubert to stand in goal today.

Michael Caley thinks Bayern is pretty good

Just put this on infinite loop