Schalke coach Dimitrios Grammozis has defended the “rock solid” Shkodran Mustafi after a disastrous outing for the former Arsenal man in Wolfsburg, speaking to Kicker.
If the Bundesliga’s bottom club were hoping experienced campaigners and golden oldies could drag them out of the mire, they were very much mistaken.
Two months after Sead Kolasinac, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and World Cup-winner Mustafi arrived at the Veltins Arena, Schalke are even closer to the drop, hanging on to their top-flight status by their fingernails.
Mustafi fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and it hasn’t taken long for the Germany international to get back into bad habits in Gelsenkirchen.
During Saturday’s humiliating 5-0 defeat to Wolfsburg, Mustafi opened the scoring with a horrific own goal before gifting Oliver Glasner’s rampaging Wolves their third of the game, dispossessed trying to dribble out from the back.
But when asked about Mustafi’s form – or lack thereof – Grammozis preferred to focus on the 28-year-old’s eye-catching display in the recent 0-0 draw with Mainz.
“We are in constant contact with Musti because he is one of the players who is very important to the team. He embodies what we demand – the absolute will,” said Schalke’s fifth coach of the season.
“He’s playing alongside two younger players (Timo Becker and Malick Thiaw). It’s important to have a player like that on the team.
“(He was) rock solid (against Mainz). He defended fantastically and gave the team a lot of defensive power. He didn’t perform as well in Wolfsburg but he is a very important player for me and will continue to be for the team in the future.”
Arsenal terminated Mustafi’s contract in January and he could be on the move again when – and it is a when – Schalke’s relegation is confirmed.
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