Schalke switches financial troubles for sporting troubles

Schalke thought its troubles were over once the Bundesliga restarted.

The Gelsenkirchen-based club was facing insolvency with no soccer being played because of the coronavirus pandemic, and had been pushing hard for the league to resume throughout its two-month suspension.

Schalke is sponsored by Russian energy giant Gazprom for a reported 30 million euros ($33 million) per season and the club reported turnover of 275 million euros ($301.5 million) in 2019. However, that was down from 350.4 million euros ($384 million) the year before and resulted in a net loss of 26.1 million euros ($28.6 million).

Schalke's Weston McKennie, left on the ground, scores the opening goal against Duesseldorf's goalkeeper Florian Kastenmeier during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)

The club made no secret of its precarious situation as the pandemic put soccer on hold.

“The situation is very serious and critical,” Schalke executive board member Alexander Jobst said in a live chat with fans.

Jobst had already written to holders of boxes in the stadium, asking them to waive the partial repayment of fees.

Schalke sports director Jochen Schneider wears a face mask after losing the German Bundesliga soccer match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)

“It’s about existence!” Jobst wrote on March 17.

The league’s resumption without fans on May 16 could not have come soon enough for the club. But the team’s performances have not helped much.

Schalke lost to rival Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in its first game back, then 3-0 at home against struggling Augsburg, before Wednesday’s 2-1 setback at relegation-threatened Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Schalke's head coach David Wagner keeps silent during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)

“The situation was partly to blame for that,” sporting director Jochen Schneider told Sky after the loss in Düsseldorf, where Schalke had taken the lead on a goal from American midfielder Weston McKennie.

Schalke finished with only 33% of the ball possession against the third-worst team in the league.

Including games before the pandemic-induced break, Schalke has now gone 10 Bundesliga games without a win. It is the club’s worst run in the league in 23 years.

Schalke's goalkeeper Markus Schubert, right and Schalke's Daniel Caligiuri leave the field at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)

Schalke has dropped to ninth place, five points behind Wolfsburg in the all-important last place for European qualification.

The club impressed in the first half of the season, but no team has been worse since the second half begun.

“We can’t present ourselves like in the last three games,” said Schneider, who defended coach David Wagner. “It’s not right to blame everything on the coach. Everybody in the club is part of it. The criticism is criticism for us all. We all have to do better.”

Duesseldorf's Andre Hoffman celebrates victory at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and FC Schalke 04 in Duesseldorf, Germany, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. The German Bundesliga becomes the world's first major soccer league to resume after a two-month suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP PhotoMartin Meissner, Pool)

Schalke is likely to face more losses this season because of the pandemic, and they could increase unless the team can somehow pick itself up for the last six games and overtake in-form Wolfsburg for Europa League qualification.

The club hosts relegation-threatened Werder Bremen on Saturday before games against Union Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Freiburg.

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP

CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions entered the season with their sights set on the Super Bowl. Finishing a frustrating year by beating their division winner was at least some consolation.

Goff led five scoring drives, Jake Bates kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired and the Lions regrouped to beat the NFC North champion Chicago Bears 19-16 on Sunday after blowing a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“It feels good to kind of get back to who we are and see it in live-speed reality,” Goff said.

What doesn't feel good? Missing the playoffs.

“It’s frustrating,” coach Dan Campbell said. "So that’s what fuels you. We don’t want to be doing that again next year. That’s not where we want to be. We have got to get in.”

The Bears (11-6) stumbled into the playoffs with back-to-back losses, though they secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC with Washington beating Philadelphia. Chicago will host Green Bay in a wild-card game next week and would have home-field advantage in the divisional round if it beats the Packers.

“We’re going to use this frustration,” said Caleb Williams, who set the franchise’s single-season passing record. “We’re going to get on a roll here this week, starting this week and that’s the focus.”

Williams threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Bears wiped out a 16-0 deficit.

The Lions (9-8) started the final drive at their 37 after Chicago punted on fourth-and-5 at the 31. Bears coach Ben Johnson considered going for the first down but decided against it, figuring he had three timeouts and would probably get the ball back.

That didn't happen, and Detroit ended a disappointing season on a winning note when Bates nailed a 42-yarder. A 26-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped set up the field goal and Detroit came out on top after losing three in a row.

Goff shook off his worst game of the season by throwing for 331 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The four-time Pro Bowler completed 27 of 42 passes after setting season highs with two interceptions and three fumbles and matched one by getting sacked five times last week at Minnesota.

St. Brown had 139 yards on 11 receptions. Gibbs ran for 80 yards and had a touchdown catch. Avonte Maddox intercepted Williams in the end zone in the third quarter.

“I still believe the nucleus of this team is right,” Campbell said. “I really do. But we are going to need to make a few changes. Not just talking about that. It will be collectively. We’re going to have to work through some things to get the best version of ourselves.”

Williams threw for 212 yards, giving him 3,942 this season to surpass Erik Kramer’s franchise mark of 3,838 in 1995. Chicago remains the only team without a 4,000-yard passer.

Colston Loveland caught 10 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Byard had his league-leading seventh interception.

“They fought their tails off, but came up short,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to play better going forward, we’ve got to coach better going forward as well and we’re turning the page, though. We got the No. 2 seed, we’ve got a home game next week and we’ve got a new season on the horizon. Our guys should be reinvigorated by that. I know I certainly am.”

The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs since 2020. But they won the division in Johnson’s first season after finishing last a year ago.

Chicago trailed 16-0 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter when Williams connected with Jahdae Walker for a 25-yard touchdown and broke Kramer’s record. A 2-point conversion run by Kyle Monangai cut it to 16-8.

After the Lions punted, Chicago went 88 yards for a touchdown, with Williams finding Colston Loveland in the end zone from the 1. A lunging Cole Kmet then hauled in the 2-point conversion pass in a crowd, tying it at 16 and whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

The Lions then had the ball at the Chicago 35 when Goff attempted to zip a pass to St. Brown. The Bears’ Jaquan Brisker tipped the ball and Byard picked it off at the 5.

Lions: WR Tom Kennedy (rib) was hurt returning a punt in the third quarter.

Bears: The Bears held out LT Ozzy Trapilo (knee/quad) after he was limited in practice during the week. ... LB Ty Summers (foot) left after he was injured on the opening kickoff. ... C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion) left after he was hurt on the winning drive.

Lions: Start the offseason.

Bears: Host Green Bay in a wild-card game next weekend.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates celebrates after kicking a field goal on the final play of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Detroit Lions place kicker Jake Bates (39) kicks a field goal on the final play of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) runs up field after catching a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs from Detroit Lions linebacker al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) runs from Chicago Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (49) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)