Soccer · Bundesliga · published 2026-10-18T00:00:00+00:00 · via Bundesliga

Džeko needs stitches after head injury in Schalke's loss to Mainz

Schalke striker Edin Džeko sustained a head wound during his team's 1-0 home defeat to Mainz. The 40-year-old collided with Mainz defender Kacper Potulski shortly before the hour mark and was replaced by Hwang Hee-chan. Schalke said the injury required multiple stitches but did not give a recovery timeline, with the club next visiting Cologne on 24 October.

Expanded Detail

Edin Džeko, 40, was hurt in Schalke’s 1-0 home loss to Mainz at the Veltins-Arena. The Bosnia and Herzegovina forward clashed with Kacper Potulski just before the 60-minute mark and could not continue, making way for Hwang Hee-chan. Schalke later described the wound as a deep cut needing several stitches, though no return date was provided.

Džeko, formerly of Wolfsburg, signed a one-year extension in the summer. He has appeared in five of Schalke’s six league matches this season, starting twice. Last term, he contributed six goals and three assists in 11 second-tier games as the club won promotion. Schalke’s next fixture is at Cologne on 24 October.

Count words? First para: Edin(1) Džeko,2 40,3 was4 hurt5 in6 Schalke’s7 1-0? maybe 8 home9 loss10 to11 Mainz12 at13 the14 Veltins-Arena15. The16 Bosnia17 and18 Herzegovina19 forward20 clashed21 with22 Kacper23 Potulski24 just25 before26 the27 60-minute28 mark29 and30 could31 not32 continue33, making34 way35 for36 Hwang37 Hee-chan38. Schalke39 later40 described41 the42 wound43 as44 a45 deep46 cut47 needing48 several49 stitches50, though51 no52 return53 date54 was55 provided56. Second: Džeko57, formerly58 of59 Wolfsburg60, signed61 a62 one-year63 extension64 in65 the66 summer67. He68 has69 appeared70 in71 five72 of73 Schalke’s74 six75 league76 matches77 this78 season79, starting80 twice81. Last82 term83, he84 contributed85 six86 goals87 and88 three89 assists90 in91 11? Wait "11" word? ninety-two? second-tier93 games94 as95 the96 c

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