1. FC Nürnberg against Ingolstadt: Many batteries need to be charged

Holding two 90-minute test matches in two different locations on one day sometimes brings with it strange situations. For Mahir Emreli and Jannik Hofmann, for example. The two players from 1. FC Nürnberg were used in the first game against FC Ingolstadt on Sunday morning, in the second half. Over an hour later they were in the starting line-up in game two, also against third division club Ingolstadt, but this time a kilometer away, at the youth performance center (NLZ), where coach Miroslav Klose was already waiting for them on the pitch. At least Emreli was allowed to take a shower during the break in this game. Nuremberg won game one 2-1, game two 3-0. Klose’s first quick analysis after 180 minutes: In game one “we could have scored one or two more goals. I wasn’t so happy with the last quarter of an hour because we played too many balls that we didn’t want to play.”

There are still six days before the club starts the second half of the second division against Karlsruher SC, but the squad is still so big that they don’t know what to do with all their players. At least as many actors as possible should receive a 90-minute load “so that they can get their batteries full,” as Klose said. It is already clear that not all players need full batteries.

Now left-back Tim Handwerker will play for league rivals Jahn Regensburg from Friday evening, and Joseph Hungbo has moved to Wigan Athletic. The latter departure has the advantage that a winger has already been given up, of which the club has had too many since switching to a three-man chain. But despite these two departures, on Sunday in the second test match at the NLZ, well-known players such as Lukas Schmelzer and Enrico Valentini found themselves on the substitutes’ bench (the latter came on as a substitute in the second half and scored to make it 3-0). Three test matches in a single day, says Klose with a smile, might have been a bit too much. But the coach didn’t want the bench to be seen as a pointer towards farewell. “The club has spoken to one or two players,” says Klose. Those who are “a little behind” know. This currently only means Benjamin Goller and Tayman Duman.

On the other hand, there are of course also players who are set for the second half of the season. Stefanos Tzimas is certainly one of them, after all, the 18-year-old attacker has already scored eight goals. In the stadium test match, he took advantage of a mistake in the Ingolstadt defense to take the lead in the second minute of the game. Ultimately, he scored both goals to make it 2-1 and could have scored more often because he is always approachable and dangerous. It was hardly surprising that shortly before half-time he was overly upset about a foul by his opponent Felix Keidel. Tzimas also sees a great future for himself as long as he stays healthy.

Tim Drexler plays over 90 minutes, but in game two

The only problem for the club is that this future does not lie in Nuremberg. Tzimas, who celebrated his 19th birthday at the training camp in Herzogenaurach, is on loan from PAOK Saloniki; it would cost around 18 million euros to keep him next summer. And even if 1. FCN decides to do so, the question arises as to whether, given this amount, they won’t have to sell it on again at a profit. But as of now, they would really like to keep it.

The head coach also seems satisfied with the first signing of the year. Tim Drexler, 19, is on loan from TSG Hoffenheim, so he brings first division experience with him and is supposed to expand the defender options that were missing after the system change, especially since he thinks he can be used in any position in the back three. “He also looked good in training, and today he showed that he can play 90 minutes.” But that was in game two.

Because game one was played in the stadium behind closed doors, the suspicion arose that this could also be the starting eleven for Sunday against Karlsruher SC at the same location. “No,” says Klose, that’s not necessarily the case, “there’s no team B or anything like that.” Everyone could still recommend themselves. However, it is unlikely that the KSC will be persuaded to play two games so that everyone from Nuremberg can get a chance.