Schalke 2012-2014 Home Shirt

FC SCHALKE 04  – HOME SHIRT 2012-2014

FC Schalke 04 are one of Germany’s best supported clubs. The team are from Gelsenkirchen and have a long standing rivalry with Ruhr rivals, Borussia Dortmund.

Schalke play their home matches in the Veltins-Arena, which can host a massive 62,273. Despite that, Schalke currently play in the 2. Bundesliga. There is a case to be made that they are the biggest club in the world that aren't in their country's top league. Impressively, they still manage to draw crowds close to filling their capacity, showing how loyal their fanbase is.

They are a far cry from where they were when they wore this smart home kit in both the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 seasons, though.

In 2012/13, Schalke enjoyed a solid campaign, finishing 4th in the Bundesliga. Their DFB-Pokal run ended in the third round, where they were eliminated by fellow Bundesliga side Mainz. In Europe, they impressed by topping their Champions League group unbeaten, before being narrowly knocked out in the Round of 16 by Turkish giants Galatasaray, losing 4-3 on aggregate. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar finished as the club’s top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions, while a teenage Julian Draxler matched his 10 league goals, marking a breakout season for the young German.

In 2013/14, Schalke went one better, claiming 3rd place in the Bundesliga. Once again, their DFB-Pokal journey ended in the third round, this time at the hands of Hoffenheim. In the Champions League, they reached the Round of 16 for a second consecutive year but faced an unstoppable Real Madrid, who thrashed them 9-2 on aggregate en route to winning the tournament. Huntelaar remained Schalke’s leading marksman, though his tally dipped slightly to 14 goals in all competitions.

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