Timothy Tillman could make his Bundesliga debut when promoted Nuremberg begin life back in the top flight of German football away to Hertha Berlin on Saturday (kick-off: 3:30 PM CEST/ 1:30 PM GMT/ 9:30 AM EST).
Latest
It was a case of mid-table obscurity for Hertha last season as Pal Dardai's men finished ten points clear of the relegation play-off spot and as many adrift of the top six. Reinforcements have arrived in the form of defender Lukas Klünter - relegated with Cologne in 2017/18 - Ajax academy product Javairo Dilrosun and Liverpool loanee Marko Grujic; Genki Haraguchi is back following a loan spell with Fortuna Düsseldorf while Valentino Lazaro has signed a permanent deal. Dilrosun and Haraguchi are pushing for starts, with forward Davie Selke ruled out and midfielder Vladimir Darida a major doubt. Hertha warmed up for the game by winning 2-1 at Eintracht Braunschweig in the DFB Cup.
Nuremberg were also victorious in the first round of the DFB Cup, edging fifth-tier Linx by the same scoreline. Mikael Ishak grabbed both goals for last season's Bundesliga 2 runners-up - an indication that he is ready to shoulder the workload with Der Club captain Hanno Behrens, who top scored with 14 goals in 2017/18. Defender Enrico Valentini went off with a knock against Linx and could miss out, although Werder Bremen loanee Robert Bauer offers a ready-made replacement. Ewerton and Sebastian Kerk are definitely out, while Bayern Munich loanee midfielder Tillman - an unused substitute in the cup - and Gent-owned Japan forward Yuya Kubo could feature.
Watch: Nuremberg's promotion celebrations
Probable line-ups
Hertha: Jarstein - Stark, Rekik, Torunarigha, Plattenhardt - Lazaro, Maier, Duda, Haraguchi - Kalou, Ibisevic (c)Absentees: Darida (knee), Gersbeck (knee ligament), Selke (collapsed lung)Coach: Pal Dardai
Nuremberg: Bredlow - Valentini, Margreitter, Mühl, Leibold - Petrak - Behrens (c), Fuchs - Salli, Zrelak - IshakAbsentees: Ewerton (ankle)Coach: Michael Köllne