GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Edin Dzeko returned in time for the celebrations as seven-time German champion Schalke sealed their return to the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday.
"Back where you belong," former Schalke great Raúl wrote on Instagram.
Kenan Karaman's strike in the 15th minute was enough for Schalke to move an unassailable 10 points clear of third-place Hannover in Germany's second division. Hannover have three games remaining and Schalke have two. The top two teams secure automatic promotion to the top division.
"I cannot put it in words," said Karaman, the team captain who unleashed the ball inside the far post for his 14th goal of the season. "We waited a long time for this moment, as a club, as a city, all the people around it. I'm just happy that we could take the final step at home because the fans deserve it."
The supporters were urged not to storm the field and hundreds of stewards lined up to ensure there were no injuries, but the fans seemed content to celebrate in the stands with flares, beer and songs.
"There was a lot of pressure, so much pressure. The last years weren't easy," Karaman said of three straight seasons in the second division, two of which almost ended in relegation to the third division.
The turnaround came last summer with the appointment of Miron Muslić as coach by sporting director Frank Baumann. The 43-year-old Muslić turned the team from one in crisis to a candidate for promotion. Schalke is well-placed to clinch the second division title ahead of second-place Paderborn.
Schalke's promotion push this season was helped by the surprise signing of Dzeko in January. The now 40-year-old Bosnia forward chipped in six goals in nine league appearances for Schalke before suffering a shoulder injury in Bosnia's World Cup playoff win over Italy on March 31.
Others stepped up in Dzeko's absence, especially Mali forward Moussa Sylla, who scored three of his seven goals this season in Schalke's last six games.
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Dzeko made his comeback after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute on Saturday. He didn't score, but none of the Schalke fans among 61,587 supporters in the sold-out stadium were complaining.
"We wanted this win, we wanted to celebrate with the fans today," said Dzeko, who did not want to look too far ahead. "First we celebrate, but I'm very, very happy with this decision to come here in January."
It is Schalke's second promotion from the second division in five years after their initial relegation from the Bundesliga in 2021. Schalke bounced back as second-division champions the following season but they were relegated again in 2023 after just one season in the top division.
"Nothing is more important than bringing this club back to where it belongs," Schalke defender Timo Becker said.