The difficult financial situation is forcing Schalke 04 to tighten their belts as much as possible. With regard to the sporting success that is necessary, Rouven Schröder, among others, is slowly beginning to have doubts about the strict austerity course.

Debts that amount to about 183 million euros. In addition, negative equity of around 88 million euros. Figures that make it clear again and again how important it is and remains for Schalke to act as cost-effectively as possible - despite the improvements of recent years.

The current squad has been put together accordingly. Not to say: Sewn on a financial edge. Rouven Schröder once again only had a very limited budget when planning the team that is supposed to hold the class in the Bundesliga.

CFO Christina Rühl-Hamers also wants to stick to this strict course. An important supporter: Axel Hefer, the chairman of the supervisory board.

Both are the clear advocates of big savings. They are of the opinion that only a budget that is as limited as possible can be released in order not to endanger the fundamental health of the association. Also with regard to the sporting imponderables.

According to a report by Bild, there is now growing skepticism about this course internally at S04. Skepticism, which arises in particular in the field of sport. Accordingly, in addition to Schröder, coach Frank Kramer and assistant coach Mike Büskens are concerned whether the team is of good enough quality to stay in the league.

After the clear 1: 6 bankruptcy against the current leaders Union Berlin, the alarm was said to have been raised within the club management. The tenor: It will probably take a little more financial leeway to improve the team again within the necessary framework.

One of the biggest arguments from Schröder and Co.: A relegation, which in their opinion is not too unlikely, would cost the club more expensive than one or the other personnel reinforcement.

Rühl-Hamers and Hefer continue to oppose this. Your view: Even more transfers, which would mess up the calculations and lead to a greater financial risk, are no guarantee of staying up in the league. An experiment that could just as easily backfire and then have even worse consequences.

The overarching problem from which both sides suffer equally: the numbers are still so dramatically bad that a relegation would affect the substance again. Although there would again be a willingness to cut wages, there would be no guarantee of a return to the upper house of football. Then it could get tighter again...

This article was originally published on 90min.com/de as a financial dilemma at Schalke: Schröder and Co. doubt the strict austerity course.