6 weeks ago
Schalke remain rooted to the foot of the Bundesliga table, eight points adrift of Mainz in the relegation play-off spot, after the two sides played out a goalless draw at the Veltins-Arena.
Dimitrios Grammozis handed 18-year-old Kerim Calhanoglu his Bundesliga debut at left-back, but the new Schalke head coach's preparations were rocked by an injury in the warm-up to influential playmaker Amine Harit. A devilish corner from his replacement, Can Bozdogan, provided a rare spot of Schalke excitement in the first half, but Shkodran Mustafi's point-blank header was beaten away by Robin Zentner. Mainz found more joy in the final third as Leandro Barreiro toe-poked a low Danny Da Costa cross narrowly wide and Adam Szalai shot wide on the turn. The ex-Schalke striker was presented with a glorious opening to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, but failed to make contact with Moussa Niakhate's ball into the box.