SVWW narrow defeat to Champions in season finale
Pros |
History: 1. FC Nuremberg, known by many simply as ''Der Club'', was founded in 1900 and boasts a rich history. There have been some notable successes and many well-known players, such as Andreas Köpke and Marek Mintal, have played for the club. FCN have been crowned German champions nine times, with five of those triumphs taking place in the 1920s. Back in this golden era, over half of the German national team played their club football for Nuremberg.
The stadium: The Max-Morlock-Stadion, which has a distinctive octagonal shape, 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 ground subsequently going through various name changes. Following renovation works in the lead-up to the 2006 World Cup, the stadium now has a capacity of 50,000.
The coach: Jens Keller has been the head coach in Nuremberg since 11 November 2019. A former player, Keller has already coached the likes of VfB Stuttgart, Schalke 04, Union Berlin and FC Ingolstadt. The 49-year-old, who predominantly favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, has seen his charges pick up 18 points in the 16 games since he took charge.
Personnel matters: The summer that followed the club's relegation from the Bundesliga brought upheaval. 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 moved to Franconia. The club later made two defensive signings over the winter to stabilise the back line, with Philipp Heise and Konstantinos Mavropanos joining on loan deals from Norwich City and Arsenal respectively.