For the first time in the history of the women’s Bundesliga, the two promoted teams from Nuremberg and Leipzig will meet. But while one club is considered a traditional club, the other has to deal with accusations of commercialism.
The path to the women’s Bundesliga couldn’t have been more different for the two promoted teams from Nuremberg and Leipzig. Because while the latter were able to start planning for the top division in German women’s football six match days before the end of the season, Nuremberg had to tremble until the last minute. But it’s not just the method of promotion that differentiates the two teams.
Nuremberg back after a long time
For 1. FC Nürnberg, promotion meant a return – 24 years ago, the clubbers already played in the women’s Bundesliga, but were relegated again after one season. The women’s department was founded in 1988, and in the 1990s Nuremberg even established itself as the third strongest force in Bavaria behind Bayern Munich and FC Wacker Munich. However, the traditional club’s relegation to the Bundesliga was followed by a long dry spell.
RB Leipzig is completely different. The club only announced the founding of its women’s team around seven years ago, and the goal of the Bundesliga should be achieved within five years at the latest. RB Leipzig then moved into the Saxony State League for the 2016/2017 season, i.e. the fourth division in German women’s football. However, not without discord.
Protests and exclusion from RB Leipzig
Clubs would actually have to register their newly founded teams one league lower. But Leipzig stated that it wanted to compete in a syndicate with the then regional league team Leipziger FC 07, which the Saxon Football Association (SFV) approved. Only a few weeks later, RB Leipzig dissolved this syndicate and took over the sole right to start the national league. The SFV also allowed that. But the criticism didn’t take long to arrive. Just like the protests.
Bischofswerdaer FV 08 boycotted its league game against Leipzig because instead of the announced young players, they mainly had ex-players from the second division relegated team FFV Leipzig in their squad. In the end, Leipzig was allowed to stay in the regional league; However, under conditions that affected, for example, the number of youth players. However, neither RB Leipzig nor the SFV were able to prevent exclusion from the Saxon state cup.
RB coach Uzun is unimpressed
Much of this is reminiscent of the founding of RB Leipzig’s men’s team a few years earlier, when the club took over SSV Markranstädt and the license for the fifth-tier Oberliga. To this day, RB Leipzig stands for this approach, but is also criticized because of its structures – among other things, there are only 20 voting members – and the financing by a beverage manufacturer. RB coach Saban Uzun However, these commercial allegations are ignored. “There will always be isolated voices against us, but they exist everywhere.”Uzun told Sportschau.
Leipzig’s head coach (women), Saban Uzun
Instead, he is happy that RB Leipzig is receiving a lot of support through its commitment to women’s football. However, the premiere season in the women’s Bundesliga could go better, with only one win on the books and the relegation zones are dangerously close. No reason for Uzun to be alarmed. “The season is going as expected. We knew what to expect and from that point of view we are on target”says the RB coach. And adds: “We are playing to stay in the league. And we will succeed.”
Nuremberg is fighting to stay in the league
Staying in the league is also the big goal of 1. FC Nürnberg. At the moment, the Franconians are only in the penultimate place in the table. “We knew it would be hard”says Thomas Oostendorpcoach in Nuremberg, the Sportschau since this season. “Although my expectations have been completely fulfilled so far, some people certainly dreamed of a few more points. We can still achieve our goal.”
Oostendorp trains club women
The plan to stay in the league is not only made more difficult by the months-long absence of captain Lea Paulick and top goalscorer Nastassja Lein. The 1. FC Nürnberg team is also the second youngest in the women’s Bundesliga; with a squad value of 430,000 euros, the club only leaves bottom of the table Duisburg behind. Oostendorp, who at 30 is also the youngest coach in the Bundesliga, is aware of this. “We can’t raise our team to a level like Wolfsburg or Bayern in one season.”
Small tip against Leipzig
But anyone who thinks that Leipzig is so much better positioned is wrong: RB’s squad is worth 535,000 euros and is therefore in ninth place in the league. In comparison, Bavaria and Wolfsburg have six times as much. However, neither Nuremberg nor Leipzig wanted to provide Sportschau with information about the actual budget.
Oostendorp, who comes from the Netherlands, was also aware of the discussions surrounding RB Leipzig, but he wanted to concentrate more on the sporting topics. But he still couldn’t resist a little tip against Leipzig: “I personally like traditional clubs like 1. FC Nürnberg, where there are members who can vote and influence.”