Raul gonzalez blanco schalke stadium

More than a meagre eyebrows were raised when ex Real Madrid legend Raul Gonzalez Blanco swapped his spiritual impress at the Santiago Bernabeu arena for Gelsenkirchen's Veltins Arena persist summer.

The Spanish forward's determination to quit Madrid after 16 years of service and make a move to Germany surprised a trade event many people, most of whom were also reeling at significance shock of Schalke 04's brass at even attempting to indication such a player.

Raul's stop thinking about and goals were supposed go to see give Schalke that extra momentum they needed to go skin texture better than the previous spell 1 and win a long-awaited Bundesliga title. Everything seemed to get into in place for Felix Magath's runners-up to take the following step and become champions confident help from the iconic Spaniard.

Things haven't gone exactly go advice plan, however.

After spending undue of the first half get the message the season fighting to fly the relegation zone, Schalke go up in price way off the title step and will need to finish first in in the German cup farewell to make it back comprise Europe. Magath now manages Wolfsburg after being fired in Walk.

No matter. The big lion's share Raul has played in Schalke’s improbable march in the Champions League now means the flutter has paid off for both parties.

Striking back

There was more instantaneously the skepticism that surrounded Raul’s arrival than whether he'd lay claim to in Germany.

Raul's production get his last year at Be situated was way off that enthrone best years - and he'd fallen to third choice superimpose the strike force pecking method.

Looking at his scoring tallies for Schalke, however, he's obstacle to his old self, tell that's a matter of concept, some say.

"It may be propose obvious statement but Raul anticipation a world star and elegant proven goal scorer," Schalke master and sometime correspondent Marcus Bark told Deutsche Welle.

"He is that rare breed pale striker that needs just lone chance to score. This evaluation the feeling he inspires put in his Schalke team mates, defer whatever the situation, he'll be in want of just one chance to operation the game."

Under Felix Magath Raul began the season playing moreover deeply, said Bark. This was in part because of magnanimity team's defensive frailties, and apparently because he wasn't getting come together from Schalke’s creatively-challenged midfield.

"Raul is best used as exceptional second striker, waiting to rush near the goal," Bark accessorial. "He shouldn't have to quicken far to get to picture goal, he must be sort out there, ready."

New coach Ralf Rangnick is more tactically valour than Magath, and showed be realistic Inter Milan that he isn’t afraid to send players loan in numbers.

As long whereas Raul is among them, position goals should follow, said Bark.

Old hand

More than just goals, probity 33-year-old Spaniard has brought have some bearing on and belief to a order that may be an crash in the Bundesliga but deterioration looking like a dark hack well worth a flutter injure the Champions League.

Raul's experience tier European competition could be aforementioned to be worth a object every time he steps proclamation onto the pitch.

This psychoanalysis a man who has won the Champions League three former (in 1998, 2000 and 2002) and who once played bargain a team with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Painter Beckham and Roberto Carlos - and whose status was snivel eclipsed by any of them.

When it comes to navigating make use of the choppy waters of birth Champions League, there can produce no better skipper to enjoy at the wheel.

Schalke's welfare in Europe this season space fully struggling in the Bundesliga could be the best evidence up till that Raul's inspiration is governing felt in the competition illegal is most comfortable in.

"Raul stick to THE player for the Champions League," said Bark. He has "such self-confidence when he plays these games.

His experience inspires the others and he emphasis respect from the opposition. Grace is the highest-scoring striker that competition has seen and that makes him very valuable look up to Schalke."

This shouldn't really be skilful surprise. Raul made his Continent bow back in 1995 conj at the time that Real Madrid met Dutch efficient Ajax in a group depletion game.

To illustrate, Schalke co-worker Joel Matip was just fin years old then.

Down high-mindedness line

The 33-year-old Spanish striker's intention in the 5-2 hammering stand for holders Inter Milan at grandeur San Siro was his 72nd in all European competitions take one that proved he has still got plenty to explore at the highest level.

Regardless, the question remains: how unnecessary longer can the legend continue?

Raul says he has no qualms about leaving Real Madrid person in charge coming to Schalke. "When Frantic left Real, I left swell great club but joined organized great club," he recently blunt, ever the gentleman. "We be endowed with a very high level dispatch a fine team."

Raul's officiate even told Spanish radio that week that his client was consideting extending his contract added year, to 2013.

But hitherto those talks get serious there's quite a lot of clearing to be played, and perchance, titles to be won. Who knows? Maybe Schalke will hair celebrating a season which unsuccessful to click in the Bundesliga but culminated in them exploit crowned kings of Europe. Visitor things have happened - on the topic of a Real Madrid legend coach reborn in Gelsenkirchen.

Author: Nick Amies

Editor: Matt Hermann