Krisenderby in Franconia: When 1. FC Nürnberg receives arch-rival SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the Max Morlock Stadium, the mood in the two camps could hardly be worse. Some fight against relegation and tremble week after week, others are the worst second division team since the restart of the 2nd Bundesliga.
A real crisis derby of the two Franconian rivals. With Nuremberg against Fürth, a look at the odds shows: Understandably, no team is really considered a favorite, most likely the FCN, but only because the cloverleaf from Fürth is not in good shape.
It is a shame, of course, that an otherwise so atmospheric derby of two bitter rivals, and one with such a high level of sporting explosiveness, will take place without fans this time – certainly a disadvantage for 1. FC Nürnberg, which is supporting fans in the fight for relegation could use this duel urgently, after all, the club in the derby is under more pressure than the guests from the cloverleaf city.
Finally, the FCN ranks 15th, only three points behind is the Karlsruhe SC on relegation rank – a derby defeat against arch-rivals would be fatal for the traditional club.
Nuremberg:
1. FC Nürnberg is trembling over the remaining class. The Bundesliga relegation team actually wanted to consolidate and carefully aim for re-promotion, but the season was a real horror season. Suddenly the glorious FCN finds himself at the bottom of the table, fighting for survival in League 2.
The FCN has as table-15. only three points ahead of Karlsruher SC, barely keeps away from relegation rank – by dividing points in series. There have been four hard-fought draws for 1. FC Nürnberg in a row recently, although the draw on the last match day was surprising, as it was won by the undisputed leaders Arminia Bielefeld.
Nuremberg has been waiting for a win for six games, but the four draws also made sure that you didn’t slip into the relegation mess even worse. “With tailwind”, the FCN goes into the derby – at least, club coach Jens Keller thinks after winning the point in Bielefeld.
In Bielefeld, performance and attitude were right, “We have to tackle the next games in the same way,” says Keller. Fittingly, he made his debut as a Nuremberg trainer in the ‘first leg’ at Fürth, when the game ended goalless 0-0.
Another draw would certainly be far too little for the club this time – especially if the competition also scores in the relegation battle. Only the prediction of the exact result would be even more lucrative.
There are a few reasons to rely on this result: There are the winless series of both teams, the general tenseness on both sides, the lack of impetus from the fans. And also: Nuremberg is the league’s least dangerous home team (only 15 goals), Fürth has also scored just five more goals abroad and already shared the points seven times, just as often as the FCN.
Fuerth:
Not only 1. FC Nürnberg has been waiting for a victory for weeks, the same applies to the rival from Fürth: the shamrock has not won for six games (0/4/2), without spectators it does not run in the cloverleaf city. Not a single success has been achieved since the restart, making Fürth the weakest team since the second Bundesliga resumed after the Corona break.
Just a little bit better by the way: Just rival Nuremberg, who is also waiting for a victory since the restart. “No, the head is not blocked,” says trefoil coach Stefan Leitl, a mental blockade because of the many negative experiences, the trainer can not determine.
The fact that his team could not win last time was due to the poor exploitation of chances in the 1-1 game at Dynamo Dresden during the week’s catch-up game, said Leitl: “We are annoyed about the missed opportunities with which you made the 2: 0 and maybe even the 3 : 0 have to add more. Then you win the game. I am satisfied with the attitude, my head was clear. ”
Fürth has no time to think about the last game, the prestigious duel with rival Nuremberg is just around the corner. Leitl is aware of the importance of the 266th edition of the Franconian derby: “This is a very important game for our entire region on Saturday.”
The cloverleaf is certainly encouraged by the balance sheet at the Nuremberg stadium: Fürth won the last two appearances in Nuremberg (2-0, 2-1). Another glimmer of hope: With central defender Mergim Mavraj and striker Havard Nielsen, two key players made their comeback in Dresden after a break, at least Nielsen should also be in the starting eleven in the derby.
