Schalke dream is over

Schalke managing director Rudi Assauer has admitted the club have blown their chances of winning the German championship.

The Royal-Blues - who have not won the Championship since 1958 - have lost three of the last four outings in Die Bundesliga. Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Hamburg leaves Schalke six points adrift of Bayern Munich at the top of the table.

With only five league games remaining Assauer believes that the league title will be once again heading to the Bavarian giants.

"You would have to be mad to claim that we can still compete for the title," declared Assauer. 

"However, it must be allowed to be jealous as we had the chance to succeed, but you have to admit that Munich has the stronger squad and deserve to win the title."

Schalke have been missing key players in recent weeks and Assauer believes that a lack of experience is the reason for recent poor results.

"We were not cool enough and struggled to replace key players like Marcelo Bordon, Lincoln or Ebbe Sand, as our fringe players couldn't make up for their absence," explained Assauer.