PREVIEW-Soccer-Leaders Schalke to field teenaged keeper in derby

By Kevin Fylan

BERLIN, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A goalkeeping crisis at Bundesliga leaders Schalke 04 means teenager Ralf Faehrmann will be handed a daunting debut in front of 80,000 hostile fans at local rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Schalke's first choice keeper Manuel Neuer has yet to play this season because of a broken foot and stand-in Mathias Schober joined him on the casualty list when he suffered a calf strain this week.

Schober is definitely out and although Neuer is due to return to training on Thursday he has ruled out a return to the starting line-up on Saturday.

"It's not going to happen," Neuer told reporters on Wednesday. "I'm taking it as read that I won't be able to play."

He added: "I have absolutely no worries about Faehrmann playing."

Coach Fred Rutten also said he had full confidence in the 19-year-old Faehrmann, who last weekend played for Schalke's second team in front of 900 people.

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