What's gone wrong at Schalke? One season = Five managers

Real Madrid and Barcelona are far from the level they reached five years ago. Even a resurgent Man United are still eight years on from their last domestic title. But even the tumbles taken by Valencia or Marseille pale in comparison to that of Schalke. Who have gone from second place in the Bundesliga to the foot of the table in under three years.

How exactly has it come to this? What mistakes did the club make to turn themselves into a laughing stock? Is there any hope for the future?

First thing I have to do is, give you an idea of just how bad this Shalke team is. In competitive leagues it's possible for some bad luck and a few key injuries, to pitch you into a relegation battle. But Schalke's performances are frankly some of the worst the Bundesliga has ever seen. As bad as teams like Newcastle, West Brom and Sheffield United have been this year. All of them look like champions league sides next to Schalke, who have the worst points tally in the top five leagues with just 13.

Six games of the season remaining, Schalke had allowed 71 goals. Better only than italy's crotone across europe and coupled with their appalling attack, that gives them a goal difference of -53.

Schalke haven't spent a single week outside the relegation.