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FCK and FCN desperately hunt first wins
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August 6th, 2013
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Crises for the top two means that this year’s Superliga could be the most interesting in years
Superliga champions FC Copenhagen will take on runners-up FC Nordsjælland on Sunday in a repeat of the memorable title decider from last season. This time, though, both teams sit rock bottom.
FCK haven’t managed to pick up a single point in their first three games of the season, losing their first two games away atAalborg and Midtjylland, before the alarm bells really started ringing in earnest after a 1-3 defeat at home to unfancied Randers.
The crisis was visible for all to see after the Randers match when deputy chairman Niels-Christian Holmstrøm pulled the club's chief executive, Anders Hørsholt, aside to point his finger in his face and lambast him in front of the rolling cameras. Hørsholt remained silent throughout the chastising.
Three games in and there is already talk of the club sacking title-winning coach Ariel Jacobs and replacing him with the legendary Ståle Solbakken who is back in the mix after back-to-back failures at Wolves and Cologne.
Is this a team that is expected to compete in the Champion League group stage this season? It looks grim.
The Lions have been eerily quiet on the transfer front, signing the experienced but ageing Swedis defender Olaf Mellberg on a free transfer along with young German striker Marvin Pourie from Silkeborg. The loss of top scorer Andreas Cornelius has been particularly hard felt.
But FCN haven’t fared much better, securing just one point from a home draw against newly promoted Viborg and losing twice away at Aarhus and Esbjerg. Additionally, FCN are on the brink of bowing out of this year’s Champions League after losing the first leg at home 0-1 to Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg. The return leg is in Russia on Wednesday.
The Tigers have been more active in the transfer market, but will still have a difficult time replacing national team defender Jores Okore, who left for Aston Villa. That became immediately apparent in their first game when they were drubbed 0-4 in Esbjerg.
At any rate, the more even-looking Superliga has opened up to one of the more exciting starts for a long time. The fans are jubilant. Especially in Jutland.
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