Servus aus Bamberg!
On Saturday morning, I traveled with Frau Knappe and Dr. Weihe to Nürnberg’s Max-Morlock-Stadion to watch a 2. Bundesliga’s (German soccer league) soccer match. 1. FC Nürnberg (1. FCN), who are currently 10th, took on Vfl Osnabrück on a gray, drizzling, and crisp February afternoon.
Aside from the normal action that takes place during a soccer match, there was some additional excitement. During the game, both 1. FCN’s and Osnabrück’s fan clubs took part in a dual protest against the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL–German Football League). However, these protests were not limited to these two teams; it’s league wide.
Recently, the DFL has been working on a deal which would allow a foreign investor a percentage share of the revenue generated from TV. The DFL wants to use the investment to further develop foreign marketing while preventing piracy. (Protest ohne Ende: Verhärtete Fronten zwischen Fans und DFL) At the same time, fans are worried that external investors will ruin the traditions of German soccer while commercializing the sport, both of which German soccer enthusiasts are strongly against. (Protest ohne Ende: Verhärtete Fronten zwischen Fans und DFL)
During the Nürnberg–Osnabrück game, both fan clubs actively protested throughout the game. It started with banners speaking out against the DFL actions. This was quickly followed with an anti-DFL chant, started by the 1. FCN fans. The Osnabrück fans responded in turn to the 1. FCN’s chants. These anti-DFL chants and call-and-responses continued for the duration of the match. As the game progressed, both sides began throwing tennis balls onto the soccer pitch while continuing their anti-DFL rhetoric. During both halves, the referees had to suspend play for stadium personnel to clear the field of any potential hazards to the players, while angry fans continued to throw their balls in protest.
Nevertheless, the game was a lot of fun! The soccer culture is definitely different from the American one. Before the match started, the club’s hymn was played, and all the 1. FCN fans stood, raised their team scarves, and joined in singing.
The game opened relatively quickly, with Nürnberg’s Can Uzun scoring the first goal of the match in the 17th minute. Unfortunately, with a few minutes left in the first half, Vfl Osnabrück’s forward, Erik Engelhardt, tied the game. Luckily, the game didn’t stay tied for long. In the 51st minute, Can Uzun struck again, scoring a beautiful goal, giving 1. FCN the lead. For the remainder of regular time, Nürnberg was able to hold off Osnabrück’s attempts, but with 8 minutes of stoppage time, Nürnberg just couldn’t keep Osnabrück from the attack. In the 3rd minute of extra time, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt scored the last goal of the match, tying the game at 2 a piece. Yet, 1. FCN had one last chance to win the game with a few minutes left, when Lukas Schleimer fired a shot that got past Osnabrück’s goalie, but a quick reaction from an Osnabrück defender resulted in an astonishing sliding save on the goal line to keep the game even and secure a 2-2 draw.
Bis nächsten Mal! Tschüss!
Nate
