BL, MD26: FC Nürnberg 1 - 1 FC Bayern München

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v

Bundesliga 2007/08, Matchday 26
FC Nürnberg v FC Bayern München

Stadium: easyCredit-Stadion, Nürnberg
Kick-off: Saturday, 29 March 2008, 15.30h

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How times change. Almost exactly 14 months ago, Ottmar Hitzfeld re-took the coaching reins at Bayern after two-and-a-half years out of the game. A day after officially taking charge, Hitzfeld led his men into action against 1. FC Nürnberg. This coming weekend, with nine league matches to play this season, Hitzfeld and his troops again travel to face their Bavarian rivals – but the situation at both clubs ahead of the state derby is dramatically different compared with a year or so ago.

"I knew the job was going to be tough, but I didn't think it would be this challenging," Hitzfeld reflected at the final whistle back then, after watching his listless side collapse to a desolate 3-0 defeat, the beginning of the end of the outgoing champions' hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Roles reversed

"It wasn't very pleasant to watch, we at Bayern Munich disgraced ourselves," Hitzfeld continued in a sobering and blunt analysis. "Now I know just how much work I still have to do.“ The General detected problems in every area of his team: "lack of belief,“ "too many mistakes in defence,“ and "too little creativity“ in midfield. "There are many, many areas we have to improve," the coach concluded.

Fourteen months later, Hitzfeld is a much happier man ahead of his final state derby as a coach. His team, thoroughly overhauled and rebuilt last summer, is comfortably clear at he top of the Bundesliga after 25 matches and remains in the running for three trophies. Nuremberg, who won the German Cup last season, have spent the whole of this term unexpectedly mired in the relegation zone.

No mood for charity

"If we play like we did against Leverkusen, there's no-one in Germany who can hurt us," a beaming Uli Hoeneß declared after Bayern's gala display against Bayer last Saturday. Both the Bayern general manager and Hitzfeld are not contemplating another defeat to FCN: "I don't think we'll slip up at their place again, provided we learn our lessons from Cottbus.“

Nuremberg are struggling in 17th place on just 19 points, but there will be no charitable gestures from their Bavarian neighbours: "Nuremberg have had plenty of chances to take points. We want to win the league, so we have to take points wherever they're on offer," argued Hoeneß, although the official is still hoping FCN avoid the drop. "If they do go down, I'll be one of the saddest guys around.

[Munchen Minded]

bayern just needs to go out there and spank some ass!! No gifts, no exceptions. And who cares about Nurnberg staying up.

[Vargas_4]

Our rivals are a bit shaky lately. We must obtain the 3 pts here and look towards the fact that we can extend our lead.

[RunX]

Hard Game I thinl They will play good becuz they r in the last ... stand
hard game !!!
but i think we will win !
forza bayern

[kaiserzizu]

This will be tough, the season is coming to a stretch and Nurnberg will do everything to prevent relegation.

Since Altintop is injured, Sosa/Schlaudraff will probably get more playing time so thats good.

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The match will be televised live from those TV channels:

ATV Austria
Bundesliga 1
C+ Deportes
DigitAlb SuperSport 1
Dubai Sports 2
ESPN+
Federalna TV
G Extra
NTV Turkey
NTV+ Sport HD
Premiere HD
Premiere Sport Portal
Sky Calcio 1
Sky Sport 16:9 [Italia]
Sky Sport HD1 [Italia]
Sport 1 (Cze)
Sport 1 (Ned)
Sport 5+
Sport N
SportKlub (Hungary)
TPS Star
Viasat Sport 1

[Oliver_Kahn]

I'm almost sure that the huge majority won't agree with me, but I'd start both Sosa and Piggy on the wings, with Ottl and Ze in midfield. And yes, Ribery on the bench.

Why would I do this, you're wondering, because Ribery played the full 90mins vs England I think, so he could do with not playing another full 90mins for Bayern in such a short period of time.
Plus, this would be an opportunity to test our possible Hamit replacements. And if one is struggling out there, we'll have a fresh Ribery coming off the bench for the second half.

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Originally Posted by Oliver_Kahn

I'm almost sure that the huge majority won't agree with me, but I'd start both Sosa and Piggy on the wings, with Ottl and Ze in midfield. And yes, Ribery on the bench.

Why would I do this, you're wondering, because Ribery played the full 90mins vs England I think, so he could do with not playing another full 90mins for Bayern in such a short period of time.
Plus, this would be an opportunity to test our possible Hamit replacements. And if one is struggling out there, we'll have a fresh Ribery coming off the bench for the second half.

Not a bad idea, but knowing Hitzfeld, we won't see it happen. Especially after the Anderlecht and Cottbus defeats.
'Hitzfeld to drop the rotation policy' was one of the headlines.. remember?

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim

Not a bad idea, but knowing Hitzfeld, we won't see it happen. Especially after the Anderlecht and Cottbus defeats. 'Hitzfeld to drop the rotation policy' was one of the headlines.. remember?

Rotation policy dropped means, the end of doing 5 or more changes per match, but not 1 or 2, no ?
Because when you have a roster of 23 players, playing the same XI week in week out doesn't work. You have to keep all the players motivated.

I also don't think Hitzfeld would do this, I was merely stating what I would do.

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At the age of 38 and with two decades as a pro already under his belt, Oliver Kahn is nearing the end of a long and successful sporting career. The three-time World Goalkeeper of the Year has made more than 500 Bundesliga appearances, half of them on opponents' home turf. Before each of his last 17 Bundesliga away trips, fcbayern.de presents Kahn's memories of previous visits to the ground in question, as the giant keeper recalls unusual incidents and oddball situations, but also moments of sporting drama and emotion. The eleventh visit is to Nuremberg.

Kahn's memories of 1. FC Nürnberg:

"I have almost entirely positive memories of playing in Nuremberg. I say almost entirely, because there's one match I really don't like being reminded of. Just over a year ago, we ran up the white flag and went down 3-0 without a fight. It was the first match after Ottmar Hitzfeld's return to Bayern and we were all hoping that the lack of belief which had characterised our performances up to that point would evaporate and we'd rediscover our confidence and will to win. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened and we were given a real lesson by the home side. That's the only time I've lost in Nuremberg. With both Karlsruher SC and Bayern, I've nearly always come away from there with a win.

I'll never forget my very first match in Nuremberg. It was the 1988-9 season, I was just 19 years old at the time and in my second year as a pro with KSC. We were 2-1 up in the second half when I came on for our regular keeper Alexander Famulla. He had to go off with a deep cut behind his ear after a brutal foul by Nürnberg striker Sane, and I came on for my third-ever Bundesliga appearance. We made it 3-1 just a couple of minutes later, which was the final score. It was a very special game for me because it was my fist win in the Bundesliga. Incidentally, Nuremberg were coached at the time by Hermann Gerland, who's our reserve team boss these days.

I'm really looking forward to the game in Nuremberg. With TSV 1860 Munich stuck in the second division for a few years now, our meetings with FCN are our only competitive derbies, despite the fact there are some 150 kilometres between Munich and Nuremberg. It's always a special atmosphere, and even though it's my last visit there, I really hope 1. FCN avoid relegation, so we'll still have an all-Bavarian derby next season.“

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The visitors are hot favourites for the title, but the home team are fighting to avoid the drop. The going-in position ahead of the 50th Bundesliga meeting between Bavarian neighbours 1. FC Nürnberg and Bayern at the Franken stadium on Saturday could hardly be more contrasting: the men from the state capital are seven points clear of Hamburger SV at the top, but FCN are second from bottom, two points adrift of safety.

"We know Nürnberg are fighting for their lives and their place in the first division," commented Ottmar Hitzfeld, whose final visit to Franconia as a coach has special significance: Bayern lost the corresponding fixture 3-0 last term, throwing a damper over the General's comeback as FCB coach 14 months ago. "It was a nasty wake-up call," Hitzfeld recalled, "but I'm hoping we can banish that memory. I don't think it'll happen a second time.“

Time to react

After a poor display in their last away game against Cottbus, Bayern need to "show a reaction," Hitzfeld demanded. "This is a chance to restore our image. I hope my team has taken the lessons from the Cottbus game to heart.“ Gala displays at home to Wolfsburg and Leverkusen last week are the yardstick for Saturday. "I want us to show the right attitude, which we failed to do in Cottbus.“

However, the 59-year-old continued, "Saturday will be very different to Leverkusen. Nuremberg will run and run, and make life difficult for us.“ Hitzfeld urged his team not to shirk their tackles, taking the three points with "willingness and fighting spirit. We're going there aiming to win.“

Nürnberg better than league position

The General warned his men not to underestimate a struggling team for the second time. "Nürnberg have plenty of potential, otherwise they wouldn't have won the Cup last year nor got through the UEFA Cup group stage," Hitzfeld admonished, "I don't regard 1. FC Nürnberg as relegation candidates. They have very good individuals up front, and our defenders will be kept busy.“

The side lying second from bottom were much less solid at the back, Hitzfeld pointed out. "We need to get into the gaps and attack efficiently," he continued, voicing hopes that "Nürnberg try and play football“ and not simply mass on the 18-yard line. "I do think it'll be a good and exciting game.“

No insurmountable cushion

If the men from Nuremberg had been hoping for a neighbourly helping hand, they are destined to be disappointed. The leaders know what to expect after the reverse in Cottbus, and also realise that their lead could easily melt away. "Seven points is not an insurmountable cushion, so we can't allow it to be cut back a second time.“

Hitzfeld is without Hamit Altintop (metatarsal), Willy Sagnol (neck) and the suspended Mark van Bommel. Toni Kroos is staying in Munich to assist the third division south reserves on Saturday. Marcell Jansen and Martin Demichelis returned from international duty with minor knocks, but both have been declared fit for the weekend.

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The line-up I expect to see:

Toni - Klose
Ribéry - Schweinsteiger
Zé Roberto - Ottl
Jansen - Demichelis - Lucio - Lell/Lahm
Kahn (C)

[hijjawi1]

Kahn Double Saves (Min 20)
Click Here for Video

Pinola Shoot (Min 24)
Click Here for Video

[vampyrian]

Ah dammit.:/