Bundesliga/2. Bundesliga/3. Liga: "Our glorious legend" – the 11FREUNDE curve show
Why keep you in suspense? We'll start the curve show with the most spectacular choreography of the matchday. Over the past three weeks, the Nuremberg fans had already been working on this day – May 4th – with other choreographies. Because on this date exactly 125 years ago, FCN was founded. Nine German championships and four cup wins later, the fans provided a more than fitting setting for the birthday celebrations and presented the greatest choreography the Max-Morlock-Stadion has ever seen. In the days and nights before, the fan groups in the north curve and many other helpers had been busy decorating the home stadium with flags, ribbons, banners, and banners. On the right is the club's current logo, and on the left is the club's very first crest.
Several choreographies that had been shown in recent weeks connected the fans on this matchday. For example, many of the historic events that the club has experienced over the years can be seen here again...
...the representation of which stretched once around the stadium. Long before the match, 10,000 fans had gathered and marched together to the stadium – led by a team of club legends.
Despite their own celebrations, the clubbers also sent greetings to their friends from the Ruhr area and wished FC Schalke 04 all the best for its 121st birthday.
Speaking of Schalke: The Knappen also showed a mature performance in the stands this weekend.
Meanwhile, the North Curve performed a best-of of their choreographies from days gone by. And what did 1. FC Nürnberg and FC Schalke 04 have in common on this matchday other than great choreographies? Both teams disappointed in sporting terms, losing their home games, and thus symbolizing big clubs that should actually be destined for greater things, and whose fans deliver Champions League-worthy performances week after week, but whose defeats, bad luck, and mishaps leave them languishing in the no-man's-land of the lower leagues. Oh well.
To avoid becoming one of these clubs, the fans of VfL Bochum gave their protégés additional motivation before the relegation summit in Heidenheim...
...and wanted to dream of staying up, along with the players. However, that's likely where it will stay. With two games remaining, VfL is in last place, four points behind safety. A disastrous goal difference makes the mission of staying up even more difficult.
And as if the dismal 0-0 draw wasn't enough of a nuisance for Bochum, they also had to travel a total of 1,000 kilometers – on a Friday. The Ruhrpott fans were incomprehensible, and we asked: How much would it cost to get Culcha Candela moving that distance?
A topic that dominated last week and continues to cause a stir: the violent death of Lorenz A. Almost two weeks ago, an altercation broke out in front of a club in downtown Oldenburg, after which Lorenz A. fled and was later shot by police. It is unclear whether he threatened the officers. FC Sankt Pauli fans have a clear opinion...
... and no more trust in the police.
Just like Freiburg last matchday, Saarbrücken also pointed out this week that the shots that hit Lorenz A. came from behind. The investigation against the 27-year-old police officer who fired the shots is ongoing.
The death of Werner Lorant had also been a topic of discussion in recent weeks. The fans of 1860 Munich dedicated a special choreography to their former successful coach against Rot-Weiss Essen.
Speaking of Rot-Weiss Essen, the fans not only celebrated a 3-1 away win in Munich, but also their survival in the 3rd division, where they are now in their third season.
Further up in the 3rd League table, the fans of SG Dynamo Dresden are confident: a five-point lead over the relegation place with two games to go is enough to return to the Second Bundesliga.
A history lesson in Paderborn's away match at Schalke. The East Westphalians' choreography bore the inscription "Patris Brunna est 777." The reason: In 777 AD, the first Imperial Diet under Charlemagne took place in Paderborn. During this event, the settlement at the Pader springs (Patris Brunna) was officially mentioned for the first time. The first documented mention of the city as Paderborn dates back to 1028.
The “Hooligans Paderborn” are not quite as old, but they are celebrating their 20th anniversary.
Speaking of history, Gladbach blamed Hoffenheim for their lack of it over the weekend. But why exactly? TSG has existed since 1899, even longer than Borussia. The histories of the two clubs, however, could hardly be more different: While Borussia's path is paved with numerous national and international titles and legends like Günter Netzer, Hoffenheim has only been a prominent player for a much shorter time. When SAP founder Dietmar Hopp joined his boyhood club as a patron in 1989, it was still playing in the Kreisliga A. 19 years later, the Kraichgau team was promoted to the Bundesliga. Not a story worth telling for Gladbach, who also held up a banner that clearly read: "Against modern football."
In keeping with this, we see a banner from the fans of FC Bayern Munich.
VfB Stuttgart has more to offer in its history than meets the eye. In their away game at Millerntor, the Swabians showcased their recent title wins...
... as well as the relegation in 2015/2016. "Tears and triumphs," in other words.
The fans of Hannover 96 proved themselves to be masters of improvisation. During their away game in Ulm, the 96ers performed a creative choreography depicting a pub scene. A fan at a long bar was supposed to look into a television, which was to be stretched across the scoreboard as part of the choreography. However, the fans from Lower Saxony were literally left with nothing, as the strong wind made it impossible to hang it up. The Hannover fans quickly transformed the television into a club flag, on which several significant scenes from the club's history were played out. If linear television showed such creativity, it probably wouldn't be threatened with extinction.
But the choreography wasn't enough: In the second half, the 96ers lit rockets and smoke bombs.
Fortuna Düsseldorf fans are also known for their impressive choreographies. At their home game against Eintracht Braunschweig, the Rhinelanders bathed their stadium in red and white.
The surprise package from Mainz has recently run out of steam in the race for European places. While the Champions League seemed quite realistic for a time, the 05ers are now even having to worry about participation in the Conference League. Bo Henriksen's charges have been waiting for a win since matchday 25. Therefore, the fans apparently felt obliged to make a statement and took the motto "Throw everything in" literally. The Frankfurt team on the other side also seemed to feel called upon to do the same, throwing all sorts of objects onto the pitch. A flagpole hit assistant referee Robert Wessel, who, however, failed to notice the hit. So it was a stroke of luck for Eintracht: Had Wessel been unable or unwilling to continue, the match would likely have been abandoned – and the penalty awarded against them.
It was supposed to be a highlight of this matchday: the Southwest Derby between Karlsruher SC and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. However, a police operation before the match overshadowed the 2-2 draw and created a subdued atmosphere. As the Karlsruhe Fanhilfe announced, a police unit was monitoring the entrance controls for the first time. At the equipment entrance, the unit eventually stormed into the crowd for no apparent reason and used pepper spray in a confined space. Karlsruher SC also condemned the police violence afterward. The whole incident caused fans to forgo visual support during the match. In the away section, the Kaiserslautern fans at least provided a slight distraction. However, the day will still have to be processed.
We conclude this week's edition with the choreographies of the Augsburg...
... that of FC Sankt Pauli ...
...and that of Werder Bremen. We wish you a wonderful rest of the week!
11freunde
