Professionals, 9. November 2018
Form
1. FC Nürnberg are winless in the Bundesliga since Matchday 6, with their only two victories this season coming at home against Hannover 96 and Fortuna Düsseldorf. Following defeats at Hertha BSC, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig as well as at home to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, ‘Der Club’ have picked up draws in their last two outings against Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Augsburg. Their tally of ten points currently puts them in 15th place in the table.
Goalscorers
With two goals and one assist apiece, captain Hanno Behrens and Mikael Ishak have been Nürnberg’s most dangerous attacking players so far this season. However, Saturday’s match may come too soon for the Swedish striker to make his comeback from a knee injury.
Bundesliga experience
The Franconians have seven players in their ranks who already had Bundesliga experience before the team’s promotion last season. The most experienced of those are summer signings Christian Mathenia (71 appearances for SV Darmstadt 98 and Hamburger SV) and Robert Bauer (67 appearances for FC Ingolstadt 04 and SV Werder Bremen). Sebastian Kerk played 29 Bundesliga games for SC Freiburg in 2013 and 2014, while Ishak featured 11 times in the top flight for 1. FC Köln during the 2011/12 campaign.
The only current FCN player to have represented the club in the Bundesliga before this season is Czech midfielder Ondrej Petrak, who played 11 games in 2013/14. Törles Knöll made one brief appearance for Hamburg last year, while Federico Palacios also made two appearances for Leipzig.
Stadium
The Max-Morlock-Stadion was expanded to a capacity of 50,000 for the 2006 World Cup. FCN had the highest attendances in the second tier last season, with an average of around 31,000 flocking through the turnstiles for every home game.
1. FC Nürnberg
Founded: 4 May 1900
Colours: Red and white
Members: 22,842