The 2002-03 campaign delivered crushing heartbreak for 1. FC Nürnberg as Der Club finished a devastating 17th in the Bundesliga, resulting in relegation to the second tier. The demotion was particularly agonizing as they went down on the third tie-breaker, fewer goals scored, after a dramatic final day of the season. Leading the desperate fight was the talismanic striker Saša Ćirić, whose 12 league goals were a courageous but ultimately insufficient effort across a turbulent campaign marked by a mid-season managerial change. It was a painful year defined by struggle, and remains a significant, if difficult, chapter that foreshadowed the club's reputation as the Bundesliga's 'relegation yo-yo' team.