Schalke, very hopeful

[Folami David]

Schalke 04 showed they are not ready to give up on the season just yet after a 1-1 draw at Galatasaray gave them hope of reaching the Champions League quarterfinals.
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Schalke topped Champions League Group B after a fine start to the season but a slump at the end of last year saw them win just once in their last 11 Bundesliga games.
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The German team, who made it to the semifinals of the Champions League in 2011, may have kickstarted their campaign with a battling performance in Istanbul in the last 16 on Wednesday.
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The win also gave coach Jens Keller, under pressure due to their domestic slump, some much-needed breathing space.
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"We played a very good game and did a lot of things right," Keller told reporters. "It was an absolute team performance. I still have a lot of fun with this team and I will continue doing my work."
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While Keller's job is still far from safe, the draw will bring much needed confidence and calmness to the Schalke squad.
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"When you score a goal and not lose in an away game for this competition then it is a good starting point for the second leg," Keller said.
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"These are the games that bring stability back. But we are clear about how tough Galatasaray are so it is a good starting point, but nothing more and nothing less."
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Keller had been feeling the huge burden of expectation in his Champions League debut but said it was coming from the media, not from the club.
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"I have picked to do this job and it is all about appeasing people with results like this one.
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Although the pressure was not coming from the club or players, it was coming from the media."