- 22 Apr 2024
Schalke sack Ibisevic and suspend Harit and Bentaleb
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
- 2 min read
Struggling Bundesliga outfit Schalke have sacked striker Vedad Ibisevic and have suspended midfielders Amine Harit and Nabil Bentaleb “until further notice”.
Bottom of the Bundesliga table and without a win in Germany’s top flight since January, Schalke announced the departure of technical director Michael Reschke earlier on Tuesday due to “different conceptions regarding the future of the club.”
That was swiftly followed by reports that the three players would be suspended by the club following a bust up between Ibisevic and assistant coach Naldo. Benjamin Stambouli was also reported to be involved in a dressing room incident while Harit stood accused of disrespecting coach Manuel Baum.
No action was taken against former Tottenham and Montpellier man Stambouli, but Ibisevic’s contract will be terminated on December 31 while Harit and Bentaleb have both been indefinitely suspended.
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“From our perspective, it makes sense to end our co-operation and to leave on good terms,” sports director Jochen Schneider said of Ibisevic’s sudden exit.
“Schalke hasn’t proven to be the right fit that we had promised each other.”
When the striker signed in September, he pledged to donate his salary to charity.
While Harit has been given “time to think” by the club, who will make him train individually, Bentaleb’s suspension appears altogether more serious.
“Schalke and Nabil Bentaleb clearly aren’t a good fit. We will part ways by summer 2021 at the latest,” Schneider indicated.
Schalke suffered a 2-0 defeat to Wolfsburg on Saturday while they will tackle Borussia Monchengladbach this weekend as they attempt to bounce back from the disarray of the midweek events.
There have been few pluses for the club this season, but the emergence of Malick Thiaw is one of those.
