Raul finds perfect match in Schalke

Given the — justifiable — excitement over Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao at the moment, it would be easy to overlook just how significant a part Schalke 04 played in their thrilling meeting in the Europa League last Thursday.

The game finished 4-2 to Athletic, left anybody who saw it breathless at the intensity of it all and could easily have yielded twice as many goals. And, with 17 minutes remaining, it was the German side who led.

Their way of playing is, in its own way, as exciting as that of Athletic’s. Huub Stevens may not be an idealist in the mould of Bielsa, and certainly the way he sets up his back four has none of the Argentinian’s radicalism, but there is no doubting their attacking quality. The Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is revitalised after his unhappy time in Spain and has scored 40 goals at more than a goal a game in all competitions this season, revelling at having Raul creating for him in a way he never did at the Bernabeu.