Edin Džeko gave an unusually honest post-match reaction after FC Schalke 04 suffered a 3-0 defeat away to 1. FC Nürnberg on Saturday evening.
The Schalke striker suggested the squad’s recent promotion celebrations – including a trip to Ibiza earlier in the week – may have affected the team’s performance against Nürnberg. Schalke had already secured promotion back to the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga title before the match and used the opportunity to celebrate their successful campaign together.
Speaking after the game, Džeko admitted the players perhaps still felt the effects of the celebrations, joking that there may have been “a little alcohol left in the legs.” The 40-year-old, however, also praised Nürnberg’s display and acknowledged Schalke were second best throughout large parts of the match.
Despite the defeat, the mood among Schalke supporters remained positive. Thousands of travelling fans continued celebrating the club’s return to the Bundesliga, chanting “Never again second division” throughout the evening in Nürnberg.