• Last season, Schalke’s home matches produced an average of 3.88 goals - the most of any side in the league

• Last season, Hertha’s away matches averaged 3.29 goals, setting us up for what should be an entertaining affair

• Schalke took four points off of Hertha last term

We've been handed a mouthwatering curtain-raiser in the 2. Bundesliga, as two former heavyweights go head-to-head, both of whom are now three seasons deep into the German second tier.

Both clubs were relegated following the 2022/23 campaign, an unparalleled failure compared to their recent past, when they were competing for European places. With promotion on the agenda for both, the stakes are high from the off.

🔵 Rebuilding or Repeating? Schalke Face Crucial Season Opener

A truly dismal end to the season saw Schalke pick up just a single point from their last six games, as they tumbled further and further down the table. They’ve since recorded two wins, two draws, and two losses in the friendlies over the summer against clubs of varying calibres.

It’s always tough to say how a team will start off the next campaign, and the only guarantee is that they’ll be fired up for this all-important opener.

⚪ Hertha Look to Carry Momentum into the New Campaign

This couldn’t have been much further from the truth in the case of Hertha Berlin, who consistently struggled until the final nine games, where they were defeated just once, otherwise recording five wins and three draws.

They kicked off their pre-season with three back-to-back wins against weaker opposition, but things haven’t been quite as straightforward more recently. Across their last three, Hertha were defeated by Brøndby and only managed a draw against Motherwell, although a win against Austria Wien should inspire some confidence.

📊 Schalke v Hertha Berlin H2H

As mentioned, Schalke got the better of their fierce opponents last season, recording a 2-2 draw at home and subsequently claiming all three points in Berlin.

Both matches were settled by an away penalty, with Hertha’s equaliser and Schalke’s winner both coming from the spot in the respective matches.

That said, the previous season, Hertha did the double over Schalke, including a 5-2 thumping on home soil, though not long before, Schalke had dished out the same scoreline in their most recent top-flight meeting.

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