If the Rothosen compete in Dsseldorf, then a clear success is expected from the home side. The comparison with the Rhineland was always close.
A glance at the Dsseldorf edition of the Bild newspaper is enough to see the difference between the Fortuna there and the Wrzburger Kickers. After the disastrous 1: 2 bankruptcy in Hamburg, the turning point must be made against promoted Wrzburg. There is talk of a nightmare start. Mind you after a 1: 2 at Hamburger SV. Fortuna and Kickers will play against each other in the second football division on Saturday (1 p.m.). But when it comes to expectations, the Rhineland and Lower Franconia are worlds apart.
Fortuna and the Kickers have met a few times in their history, and the encounters have always been tight. The balance is balanced. There was one win and two draws.
Both clubs are also linked by the story of Fortuna honorary game leader Gerd Zewe, who ended his career with the then Bayern league team Kickers from 1987 to 1989. The former national player turned 70 in July.
When the clubs first faced each other in a competitive game, Zewe wore the jersey of Fortuna. With 2-0 and a lot of effort, the defending champion Fortuna won with coach Otto Rehhagel on the bench on October 4, 1980 in the second round of the DFB Cup competition at Wrzburger Dallenberg. Great kickers embarrass Fortuna, read two days later in the Main-Post. The Rothosen had the team with the brothers Klaus and Thomas Allofs as well as the Aschaffenburg Rudi Bommer close to a defeat, but missed the sensation.
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Unlike 34 years later. A new era had just begun at the Kickers. The DFB-Pokal game against Fortuna was the first highlight of a new era with Kickers trainer Bernd Hollerbach. The 3-2 win after extra time in the double goalscorer Christopher Bieber and Steven Lewerenz scored with a canceled free kick for the kickers, was the spark for the newly awakened football enthusiasm in Wrzburg.
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In the second division there were then two draws. The 0-0 home game is only remembered because of a miss by Elia Soriano. The Kickers attacker did not get the ball into the box from close range. The replay in Dsseldorf is likely to cause the blood pressure of some Rothosen supporters to soar up to this day. The first Kickers round success was very close, when Lukas Frde shot the guests in the lead with a Sunday shot in the 85th minute. But then came the 90th minute. Dsseldorf’s Julian Schauerte hit a free kick from over 40 meters away in the direction of Wrzburger Kasten. Kickers keeper Jrg Siebenhandl hurried out of the box and grabbed the ball, which was supposed to be safe prey. 1: 1, that’s it. It felt like a defeat for the Kickers. At the press conference, however, Fortune coach Friedhelm Funkel was asked: Who do you want to win against, if not against Wrzburg?
Today’s Fortuna coach Uwe Rsler, when he answered questions from the press on Thursday, was asked: Do we agree that against Wrzburg, with all due respect, a win is an absolute must? Rsler grinned and said: We’re aiming for victory.
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Wrzburg
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Frank Kranewitter
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Bernd Hollerbach
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Picture (newspaper)
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Christopher Bieber
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FC Wrzburger Kickers
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Friedhelm Funkel
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Football Bundesliga
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Gerd Zewe
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Hamburger SV
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Main-Post Wrzburg
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Otto Rehhagel
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Press conferences
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Rudi Bommer
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Steven Lewerenz
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Thomas Allofs
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Uwe Rsler
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