Kenan Karaman, captain of Schalke 04, who is leading in Germany's 2nd Football League, shared his goals of promotion to the Bundesliga and participating in the World Cup with the national team. With three weeks left in the league, Schalke 04 is leading by 6 points ahead of its closest rival. If the team wins the match against Fortuna Düsseldorf, it will guarantee promotion to the Bundesliga. Captain Karaman stated that the season has gone well for them and that they have shown a strong performance as a team.
Karaman emphasized that their comeback from 2-0 down against Paderborn last week was an important achievement. The experienced footballer recalled that they will face his former team Fortuna Düsseldorf, which is fighting to stay in the league, tomorrow. He said their priority is to get 3 points and guarantee promotion to the Bundesliga. Karaman expressed that Schalke fans never leave their team alone and attend matches in large numbers, and he mentioned that the team and club have a deep-rooted structure.
Karaman, who scored 13 goals this season in the league, stated that he is aware of the captaincy responsibility and contributes to the team with his performance. He also said that Bosnian footballer Edin Dzeko, who joined the team during the mid-season, has made a great contribution to the team with his character and goals. He expressed that there are many Turkish players in the city of Gelsenkirchen and that it is pleasing that Turkish footballers are successful here.
Karaman also expressed hope regarding the national team, stating that he has not yet met with coach Vincenzo Montella but believes his performance is sufficient to return to the national team. Karaman evaluated Turkey's participation in the World Cup as a great success and said they aim to reach the semi-finals in the tournament. Having also worn the Beşiktaş jersey in the past, Karaman said this experience is special to him.