Schalke 04’s disappointing season continued on Tuesday as they were knocked out of the German Cup 1-0 by Second Division Mainz in their quarter-final clash.
An 88th minute goal by Burkina Faso’s Aristide Bance was enough to end four-time Cup winners Schalke’s interest in the competition and send Mainz - who are second in their division - into the semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Schalke’s exit heaps the pressure on their Dutch coach Fred Rutten as they are eighth in the league, nine points adrift of leaders Hertha Berlin.
The other three quarter-finals are on Wednesday with the headline encounter between defending champions Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen with the Munich club looking to set aside from some indifferent league form of late.
“We are aware that we have to knuckle down and work hard,” said Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann, whose side have lost two and drawn one of their last three league matches.
“We want to go the whole way in all three competitions that we are involved in,” added Klinsmann, whose side look certain to progress in the Champions League having thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-0 away last week.
Bayern’s form may be poor but their opponent’s is worse with three defeats, a draw and a win in their last five matches.
