Keller and Draxler target semi-final spot.
Bundesliga giants Schalke 04 are confident of overcoming Turkish league champions Galatasaray in their Champions League last 16 encounter on Tuesday night.
The German outfit secured a highly creditable 1-1 draw in the first meeting in Istanbul three weeks ago and are in good domestic form going into Tuesday’s return fixture, with both head coach Jens Keller and midfield player Julian Draxler eyeing up a second appearance in the quarter-finals in the space of just two years.
“It is not that we only played well against (Borussia) Dortmund. We have played at a high level in the past five games and why shouldn’t we take that level into the game on Wednesday?,” said Keller.
“We don’t have a reason to be pretentious but we have built up some self confidence over the last few weeks and we have worked hard for it. We will take that into the game and will be as focused as we have been in the last weeks.”
Galatasaray boosted their squad with the additions of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba and former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder in January, and Draxler stressed that Schalke would have to be particularly wary of the duo.
“We know that Galatasaray have a great team and have signed two top stars in Wesley Sneijder and Didier Drogba.
“But we can’t underestimate the other players. They are a great collective but it is something special to play against world stars like Drogba and Sneijder, for me as a young player,” said the German midfielder.
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