Schalke 04: El Hombre de Oro

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May 2015

Salifu (45+2) - Mauricio (17)



Seba (pen 56), Tavares (79) – Barbosa (1, 14, 37)

Liga Zon Sagres Table

Sporting’s Player of the Month

Gabriel Barbosa

The young boy turned into the hero in the end, bagging a crucial hat-trick that eventually won us the title.

Maradona’s Verdict

Well, it couldn’t be any closer but alas, SPORTING ARE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!! First league title since 2002, they are back in business and my job here is done. Portugal, it’s been a pleasure!

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SPORTING BID FAREWELL TO TITLE HEROES

Sporting Lisbon fans said their final goodbyes to manager Diego Maradona and on loan star Gabriel Barbosa after they handed ‘Os Verde e Brancos’ their first league title since 2002.

Maradona’s men defeated Estoril 3-2 away from home on the final day, a game marked by Gabriel Barbosa’s hat-trick on his final appearance, landing Sporting the title.

The Argentine completes his part of the deal by leading Sporting back to the top of Portuguese football, with the 54-year-old now leaving the club as revealed by the president of the Lisbon giants, Bruno de Carvalho.

Maradona bade farewell as he paraded the Liga Zon Sagres title around the stadium, with Sunday’s man of the match, Barbosa, also receiving a special thanks from the Sporting faithful.

The 19-year-old, on loan from Barcelona, played a total of 33 games for Sporting and scored 21 goals in his debut season in Europe, his personal best.

Winners of 2014/2015

Continental

UEFA Champions’ League

FC Bayern Munich

UEFA Europa League

Chelsea

FIFA Club World Cup Championships

Paris Saint-Germain

UEFA Super Cup

Juventus

England

Barclays Premier League

Arsenal

FA Cup

Chelsea

Capital One Cup

Arsenal

Community Shield

Manchester City

Relegated

Huddersfield Town

Crystal Palace

Fulham

Promoted

Sunderland

Reading

Ipswich Town

Spain

Liga BBVA

FC Barcelona

Copa Del Rey

FC Barcelona

Supercopa Espana

Real Madrid

Germany

Bundesliga

FC Schalke 04

DFB Pokal

FC Bayern Munich

Italy

Serie A

Juventus

France

Ligue 1

AS Monaco

Netherlands

Eredivisie

PSV Eindhoven

Portugal

Liga Zon Sagres

Sporting Lisbon

Taça de Portugal

Paços de Ferreira

Taça da Liga

Sporting Lisbon

End of Season Stats 2014/2015

Top Goalscorers

Gabriel Barbosa
21 Goals

Andre Carrillo
19 Goals

Mauricio
5 Goals

Top Assists

Andre Carrillo
12 Assists

Adrien Silva
8 Assists

Jefferson
8 Assists

Most Appearances

Mauricio
38 Appearances

Adrien Silva
37 Appearances

Andre Carrillo
36 Appearances

Highest Rating

Andre Carrillo
7.36

Mauricio
7.35

Jefferson
7.33

Most Man of the Match Awards

Andre Carrillo
4 MOTM Awards

Eric Dier
4 MOTM Awards

Gabriel Barbosa
4 MOTM Awards

Fans’ Player of the Year

Andre Carrillo

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DIEGUITO IN; RENE OUT

Diego Maradona has been appointed as the new Schalke 04 manager with immediate effect following Rene Meulensteen’s departure.

Meulensteen, who guided Schalke to their first Bundesliga title since 1958, has agreed to join Manchester United following the sacking of Tata Martino.

The Dutchman makes a return to Old Trafford after being part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s backroom staff before the Scot’s retirement in 2013.

Replacing Meulensteen will be Diego Maradona, fresh from guiding Sporting Lisbon to their first league triumph since 2002.

The former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona boss has agreed a three year deal with the Gelsenkirchen outfit, with club chairman Clemens Tönnies hoping the Argentine can lead ‘Die Königsblauen’ to yet another league title.

”We are delighted that Maradona has accepted our offer and hope he can continue the success we had to season.

“Our aim is to defend our title, though we know it won’t be easy, but that’s our ambition and I trust Maradona is the right man to lead us.

“One of his important qualities we noted was his ability to get the most out of young players. Here at Schalke, that’s something we are all about and once again, we hope Maradona can cultivate the fantastic crop of youth we have at our disposal.”

Maradona will officially begin his job on the 1st of July 2015 and will be tested with the task of keeping Schalke’s star man, Julian Draxler.

Team 2015/2016

Goalkeepers

Timo Horn, Ralf Fährmann, Lars Unnerstall

Defenders

Benedikt Höwedes, Joël Matip, Gōtoku Sakai, Christian Fuchs, Fagner, Dennis Aogo, Felipe Santana, Tim Hoogland

Midfielders

Roman Neustädter, Gonzalo Castro, Sead Kolasinac, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Julian Draxler, Leon Goretzka, Jefferson Farfan, Tranquillo Barnetta, Maximilian Meyer

Forwards

Stevan Jovetic, Artur Sobiech, Ádám Szalai