[footyfan1]

First leg is tonight at 6PM CET at Cottbus' Stadion der Freundschaft (Stadium of Friendship).

Second leg is on Sunday at 3:30PM CET at Nürnberg's Frankenstadion (these days known by its corporate name, "easy Credit Stadion).


For those here in Germany, both matches will be televised on free-TV channel ARD.


People have asked me why doesn't the 1st Bundesliga team have the perceived advantage of playing the second leg at their home stadium.

Until I got today's "Kicker" magazine, I really didn't know the answer. I thought it was just to be "fair" to the 2nd Bundesliga team.

That is not the case. According to "Kicker", the team that has had the fewest days off between the end of the season and 1st Leg of the relegation playoff gets to have the 2nd leg at their home stadium.

Cottbus finished the season last Saturday, FCN on Sunday.

Some more facts from Kicker:

Winners Count: In the past ten relegation playoffs, the 1st Bundesliga team has won seven times. The last 2nd Bundesliga team to prevail were the Stuttgarter Kickers, who got past FC St. Pauli in the last relegation playoffs before today.

Stuttgarter Kickers won promotion after a 3-1 victory in a 3rd and deciding match after the first two matches ended in 1-1 draws.


2nd Leg Home Advantage?: The team hosting the second leg of the relegation playoff has won six of the past ten playoffs.


Head to Head: Energie Cottbus and 1. FC Nürnberg have met 14 times in competitive match-ups. The record between the two clubs is even. Both clubs have won three matches against the other and there have been eight draws between the two clubs.

The two clubs last met in the 2007/2008 1st Bundesliga season. Both matches ended in 1-1 draws.

Could that be an omen for this playoff matchup??

Who have you got to win this thing??


Kicker's projected lineups for the 1st Leg match are below:

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Dilemma here:
I want to Energie to stay up.
But we get 500,000 euros from FCN if they promote.

So I guess i'll just enjoy the game neutrally

[blazsovszkyc]

Is the away goal rule applies here as well? Or it does not matter.. long time since playoff relegation games in the Bundesliga
I think Energie will stay up..

[blazsovszkyc]

Energie - 1FCN 0-1 13th min Boakye

so far my prediction it's spot on

[Vfbstuttgartfan]

Nuernberg take the lead through a lucky deflected shot by Boakye. 0-1 12th minute.

[footyfan1]

Originally Posted by blazsovszkyc

Is the away goal rule applies here as well? Or it does not matter.. long time since playoff relegation games in the Bundesliga

Yes, the away goals rule is in effect.

[footyfan1]

Originally Posted by Vfbstuttgartfan

Nuernberg take the lead through a lucky deflected shot by Boakye. 0-1 12th minute.

I only saw it at halftime. Very lucky for FCN.

Hey, is it just my FCN bias or do they look like the 1st Bundesliga team so far??

[footyfan1]

2-0 FCN!! Eigler! 55th minute!!

[arvin sloane]

Very good

[F96]

I have put 10 Euros on a Nuremberg win.