Stevens: Raul ´one of a kind´

Schalke coach Huub Stevens says replacing Raul at the Veltins Arena will prove to be an almost impossible task.

The Spanish attacker joined Schalke in 2010 from Real Madrid, and a year later fired the Gelsenkirchen side to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.

But the 34-year-old is set to leave Germany at the end of the season after opting against extending his stay at Schalke, and Stevens admits his presence will be sorely missed.

“Raul is one of a kind, there’s no such thing as another Raul,” he told Kicker.

Stevens returned to Schalke in September, after previously leading the club between 1996 and 2002, to replace Ralf Rangnick, who stepped down from the post due to exhaustion.

The 58-year-old has only one year left on his contract, but despite saying it is not the right time to discuss his future, he spoke of his desire to stay with the Germans for many years to come.

“I don’t think it’s important to discuss my contract now, but if the club want to talk, I’m here to listen,” Stevens said.

“I want to help the club, I want Schalke to develop as a team and as a club.”