Bayern held 0-0 at Schalke and loses some of its symbols of dominance

At 8:22 p.m. on Saturday, the gap between Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich seemed to unfold across the Veltins Arena pitch. Referee Robert Schröder had just blown the final whistle on a 0-0 draw, and the two teams reacted as if they had experienced entirely different matches.

Schalke’s players collapsed onto the grass in exhaustion or used their remaining strength to celebrate what appeared to be a miraculous result. Bayern’s representatives, by contrast, moved toward Schröder in almost a single formation, trying to persuade him to restart the match that had just ended.

Neither Manuel Neuer, who arrived at speed, nor an apparently furious Konrad Laimer or an intensely arguing Harry Kane could change the referee’s decision. Schröder repeatedly pointed to his watch and refused to be swayed.

The draw ended Bayern’s scoring run in competitive matches at 59 games. It also marked the club’s first spell without the league lead in almost two years. Whether Schalke’s resistance represents a warning for the rest of the league, however, depends on the perspective.