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Bavarian football derbies

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The most famous league derbies in Bavarian football are the games between FC Bayern Munich and 1. FC Nürnberg, with the Bayern versus TSV 1860 Munich matchups coming a close second. Traditionally, the 1. FC Nürnberg versus SpVgg Fürth is also of historical significance as, especially during the 1920s, those two clubs were dominant forces in German football. A distant fourth comes the Augsburg derby, at times played on highest level in the past, too.

Contents

In comparison, all other league derbies in Bavaria took mostly place on state level. Occasionally however, clubs from the same city would still meet in the 2. Bundesliga, like the Würzburg or Ingolstadt derby, which each was played for a season there. With the re-establishment of the Regionalligas in 1994, Bavarian league derbies above the Oberliga level became more common, now also involving reserve sides like FC Bayern Munich II and TSV 1860 Munich II. The later has grown in importance and attraction in recent years, with spectator figures in excess of 10,000 and live broadcasts in television.

This list includes every derby played in Bavaria on league level above the Bayernliga, which was the highest state league from 1945, when the Oberliga Süd was established, until 2012, when the Regionalliga Bayern was established.

Leagues

Bavarian derbies listed here were and are played in the following leagues:

  • Bundesliga (I) from 1963
  • Oberliga Süd (I) 1945 to 1963
  • 2. Oberliga Süd (II) 1950 to 1963
  • Regionalliga Süd (II) 1963 to 1974
  • 2. Bundesliga Süd (II) 1974 to 1981
  • 2. Bundesliga (II) from 1981
  • 3. Liga (III) from 2008
  • Regionalliga Süd (III-IV) 1994 to 2012
  • Regionalliga Bayern (IV) from 2012
  • Below these leagues, as the highest level of play in the state of Bavaria until 2012, sat the Bayernliga. This league was formed in 1945 and went through a number of name changes during its existence. Since 2012 the Regionalliga Bayern is the highest football league in the state.

    The Bavarian derby

    This is considered the biggest game in Bavaria, between the two most dominating and successful German and consequently Bavarian clubs. It's commonly called the Bavarian derby (German:Bayrisches Derby). In German media it is mostly called the Fränkisch-Bairisches Derby (translated as the Franconian-Old Bavarian derby), as Nuremberg fans consider themselves and their club as non-Bavarian.

    FC Bayern Munich versus 1. FC Nürnberg

    The games between the two clubs since the end of the Second World War:

    The Munich derby

    This is the biggest game in Munich, between the Bavarian capital's two most dominant and successful clubs. It is commonly called the Munich derby (German: Münchner Derby).

    FC Bayern Munich versus TSV 1860 Munich

    The games between the two clubs since the end of the Second World War:

    FC Bayern Munich II versus TSV 1860 Munich II

    The games of the reserve sides of the two clubs:

    The Franconian derby

    1. FC Nürnberg vs. SpVgg Greuther Fürth is not a true city derby by name, because in 1922 Fürth's population opted against their city council's proposal for a merger with Nuremberg. The game is the oldest top-level derby in Bavaria and the most-played football contest in Germany with over 250 games between the two sides. It is commonly called the Franconian derby (German:Frankenderby).

    1. FC Nuremberg versus SpVgg Fürth

    The games between the two clubs since the end of the Second World War:

    1. FC Nürnberg versus SpVgg Greuther Fürth

    After the merger of SpVgg Fürth and TSV Vestenbergsgreuth, the new club adopted a somewhat combined name but the game against 1. FC Nürnberg is still considered a continuation of the old derby.

    1. FC Nürnberg II versus SpVgg Greuther Fürth II

    With both reserve sides achieving Regionalliga qualification in 2008 for the first time, the "little" Franconian derby will be played at this level for the first time in the 2008-09 season:

    The Augsburg derby

    By far the biggest derby in the city of Augsburg was the BCA versus Schwaben game.

    BC Augsburg versus TSV Schwaben Augsburg

  • Schwaben and BCA merged in 1969 to form FC Augsburg but Schwaben soon established itself as an independent club again and the derbies between them and FCA are seen as a continuation of the games versus BCA. These new derbies however have taken place in the Oberliga Bayern only.
  • The Fürth derby

    This derby has little historic background and was only played on higher level for one season. Usually, the two clubs played in tiers far apart, only from 1988 to 1991 did both clubs previously meet in the Landesliga Bayern-Mitte.

    SpVgg Greuther Fürth versus SG Quelle Fürth

    Source:"Quelle Fürth » Die Bilanz gegen SpVgg Greuther Fürth". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    The Ingolstadt derby

    This derby was played as high up as the 2. Bundesliga but more common in the Oberliga and Landesliga Bayern-Süd. It came to an end in 2004, when both clubs merged to form FC Ingolstadt 04.

    MTV Ingolstadt versus ESV Ingolstadt

    Source:"MTV Ingolstadt » Die Bilanz gegen ESV Ingolstadt". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    The other Munich derbies

    Munich, being the Bavarian capital, always had many clubs at Oberliga level and above and therefore derbies in this city were plentiful.

    FC Bayern Munich versus FC Bayern Munich II

    A very unusual derby was played in the DFB-Pokal in 1976, when Bayern Munich's first team met its reserve side:

    FC Bayern Munich versus SpVgg Unterhaching

    Unterhaching, being a relatively new club in professional football, did not play the FC Bayern until very recently.

    Source:"SpVgg Unterhaching » Die Bilanz gegen Bayern München". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    FC Bayern Munich versus FC Wacker München

    This derby has a long tradition but due to the steep decline of the FC Wacker has not been played for a long time.

    Source:"Tables and results of the Regionalliga Süd". Das deutsche Fussball Archiv. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    TSV 1860 Munich versus SpVgg Unterhaching

    Unterhaching and the TSV 1860 first met in the Oberliga Bayern in 1982 and played most of their derbies in this league, only meeting on professional level for the first time in 1999.

    Source:"TSV 1860 München » Die Bilanz gegen SpVgg Unterhachinglstadt". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    TSV 1860 Munich versus FC Wacker München

    This derby has a long tradition but due to the steep decline of the FC Wacker has not been played in recent seasons. The two clubs also met frequently in the Oberliga, last in 1989.

    Source:"Tables and results of the Regionalliga Süd". Das deutsche Fussball Archiv. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    FC Bayern Munich II versus SpVgg Unterhaching

    Source:"SpVgg Unterhaching » Die Bilanz gegen Bayern München II". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    TSV 1860 Munich II versus SpVgg Unterhaching

    Source:"SpVgg Unterhaching » Die Bilanz gegen TSV 1860 München II". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    The Würzburg derby

    The Würzburg derby, first played in 1908, was held as high as the 2. Bundesliga but came temporarily to a halt when the FV Würzburg 04 folded in 1981. The club reformed and the derby has since been played mostly on Landesliga Bayern-Nord level but also in the Bayernliga in recent years.

    Würzburger FV versus Würzburger Kickers

    Source:"Würzburger FV » Die Bilanz gegen Würzburger Kickers". Weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2008. 

    References

    Bavarian football derbies Wikipedia