SVWW narrow defeat to Champions in season finale
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A week after going head-to-head with Holsten Kiel from the north of Germany, the Black & Reds now travel down south to face 1. FC Nuremberg. Here we take a look at the historic club from Franconia.
The city: Nuremberg is one of the top 10 tourist destinations in Germany, and with good reason: the city in northern Bavaria boasts impressive medieval architecture which includes towers, city walls, churches and even a castle. Bavaria's second city is also famous for its Christmas Market, which takes place every year in the main market square at the heart of the old town.
The stadium: The Max Morlock Stadium, one of the most architecturally distinctive grounds in the country, has witnessed over 90 years of football history. Back in 1928, architect Otto Ernst Schweizer designed what was first known as the Städtische Stadium, with the stadium ultimately going through various name changes over the course of its history. Renovation works carried out in preparation for the 2006 World Cup mean that the stadium now has a capacity of 50,000.
History: 1. FC Nuremberg, known by many simply as ''Der Club'', was established in 1900 and boasts a rich history which has seen several notable successes and many well-known players, such as Andreas Köpke and Marek Mintal, represent the club. FCN have been crowned champions of Germany a total of nine times, with five of these victories taking place in the 1920s. Back in this golden era, over half of the Germany national team played their club football for Nuremberg.
The coach: The club chose to part ways with former coach Damir Canadi earlier in the month after a run of six league matches without a win and a defeat in the DFB Cup to third-tier 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Jens Keller then took charge on 11 November. The 48-year-old former player has previously managed VfB Stuttgart, Schalke 04, Union Berlin and FC Ingolstadt. ''I know the fans well through the ties they have to my former club Schalke. There is a real buzz about this club,'' said Keller at his unveiling as head coach. His first match in charge was the Franconian derby against Greuther Fürth, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
Personnel matters: The summer brought upheaval following the club's relegation from the Bundesliga. A total of 13 players left, including top performers such as Tim Leibold (Hamburger SV) and Matheus Pereira (Sporting Lisbon). Nuremberg filled the gaps left by the departed with 13 new signings: Johannes Geis arrived from 1. FC Cologne to provide experience in midfield, while Niko Dovedan, who had been making headlines at 1. FC Heidenheim 1846, also made the move to Franconia. Three goals and three assists have meant the Austrian has already proved a hit at his new home. Club captain Hanno Behrens and right back Enrico Valentini both remained loyal to the club upon relegation into the second tier at the end of last season.
The scenario: 1. FC Nuremberg have made a somewhat awkward start to life in the 2. Bundesliga. Although managing to win their opening match 1-0 away in Dresden, the next game ended in a crushing 4-0 defeat against promotion contenders Hamburg. Nuremberg's most frequent result so far this season has been a draw, with six of their league matches ending with the points being shared. They've only managed to win three times, with the remaining five matches ending in defeat. This mixed form means ''Der Club'' are currently placed 14th in the league table. Since his arrival earlier in the month, the new coach has stressed the importance of defensive stability. ''If you have a look at our goal difference you can really see where things have been going wrong for us,'' said Keller, going on to add: ''We need to play aggressively, play as a team and, more than anything else, build up a sense of confidence and enjoyment.''