Second division opener with a lot of tradition: Schalke hosts Hertha BSC


The ball is rolling again in the 2. Bundesliga. The new season kicks off with a top-of-the-table clash between Schalke and Hertha. Both former Bundesliga teams are entering the season with high hopes. Follow the match live from 8:30 p.m.
The 2. Bundesliga kicks off the new season with a real bang this weekend. FC Schalke 04 will host Hertha BSC at the Arena auf Schalke on Friday evening (8:30 p.m./Sat.1 and Sky).
Both former Bundesliga teams are entering the season with great ambitions – and want to set the course right from the start.
Schalke, under new coach Miron Muslic, is looking to make a fresh start after a weak last season. A radical change of style toward bold, powerful football is required – the enthusiasm among the club's supporters is immense, as demonstrated by the recent "Schalke-Tach" (Schalke Day) with 80,000 fans. Hertha, under Stefan Leitl, is now making its third attempt at returning to the Bundesliga. After a bumpy preseason, new captain Fabian Reese is seen as a bright prospect – both athletically and emotionally.
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