Vladimir Petkovic is one of the candidates for the vacant coaching post at Schalke 04. Contact has already been made between the former coach of the Swiss national team and the Royal Blues.

This is reported by the Swiss Blick, Sky and Sport1 unanimously. However, it is unclear how far the talks have progressed. However, Blick and Sport1 report that the 59-year-old can well imagine a commitment to Schalke.

Petkovic is currently without a club and was last in Ligue 1 at Girondins Bordeaux, where he was sacked in February after just seven months. He had previously looked after the Swiss national team from 2014 to 2021 and led the "Nati" to the European Championships in 2016 and 2020 and to the 2018 World Cup.

The contact came about, reports Sky, through sports director Peter Knäbel, who knows Petkovic from his own time in Switzerland. Among other things, Knäbel was Technical Director of the Swiss Football Association from 2009 to 2014.

In addition to Petkovic, Thomas Reis is also a hot topic for the miners. There had recently been irritations about the former Bochum coach. Initially, reports had surfaced that there were serious doubts about Reis in Schalke's management. A little later, Bild, Sport1 and WAZ reported that the 49-year-old was again the favorite to succeed Frank Kramer. At the moment it looks as if the Schalke coaching race will be decided between Reis and Petkovic.

This article was originally published on 90min.com as Matching reports: Schalke contacted ex-"Nati" coach Petkovic.