The masterful performance of SC Magdeburg in the top game at SG Flensburg-Handewitt even made the otherwise rather reserved Bennet Wiegert rave. “It feels absolutely amazing to have prevailed here in this atmosphere. It was fun. I’m incredibly proud of the team, how they believed in themselves and solved this,” said the coach of the new Handball Bundesliga leaders after the 35:31 (15:17) victory in the “Hell North”.
Thanks to an improvement after the break, the Champions League winner inflicted their first defeat of the season on the previous leaders and moved past their rivals (20:4) with 21:1 points. “In the second half we played what we planned to do,” Wiegert praised his team and summed up: “The key to success was our attacking game after the break, when we hardly made any mistakes. That feels really good.”
The victory in Flensburg was a strong statement from the runner-up, who are the only team still undefeated after twelve match days and, in addition to the two points, were also able to celebrate the return of Matthias Musche. The left winger was back on the floor for the first time after tearing his Achilles tendon in April and converted two seven-meter throws. “His comeback came surprisingly early. We are very happy that he is back,” said Wiegert.
Of course now the sayings are coming back that nobody can stop us. But that’s nonsense. It’s still early in the season.
Bennett Wiegertcoach of SC Magdeburg
But the 43-year-old didn’t want to know anything about a preliminary decision in the title fight. “Of course people are now saying that no one can stop us. But that’s nonsense. It’s still early in the season. If we’re not mentally prepared to play games of the same quality as today, we’ll lose points. Then the Bundesliga will overwhelm us with its strength,” said Wiegert.
But he also didn’t want to downplay the significance of the success, in which Gisli Kristjansson was the best thrower with eight goals and goalkeeper Sergey Hernandez was the main support with 15 saves. “Of course it feels good. Not only because of the big points, but also because of the self-confidence, which we have once again underlined extremely. Continuing to act with a broad chest is extremely important,” said the SCM coach, aware that the competition will not let his team win the title without a fight.
“There is still a lot of time. If the chance for the championship presents itself, we want to take it,” said SG coach Ales Pajovic, declaring war on the new leaders. And captain Johannes Golla defiantly announced: “No one will let themselves down. We are still at the top and will carry on like this.”
Bob Hanning announces new additions for the next 14 days
This motto also applies to the defending champion Füchse Berlin. Just 48 hours after the victorious Champions League appearance at Sporting Lisbon, the champions defeated the cup winners THW Kiel in the second top game on Super Saturday with 32:29 (16:14) and moved up to third place with 18:6 points thanks to the better goal difference, past their rivals with the same points. “We’re still in and not out. And we’re not done yet,” announced superstar Mathias Gidsel.
The Danish world champion and Olympic champion was once again the best thrower for the Berliners with eight goals and thanked the fans in particular: “Today we only got through the spectators. When we had a difficult phase, the hall gave us energy again.”
That was also necessary because the tank was empty in the second half, Gidsel reported. “That’s why I’m incredibly proud of the team that we managed to do that. Because it wasn’t our best handball,” said the 26-year-old.
Füchse boss Bob Hanning was also enthusiastic. “That was an unbelievably great performance of energy. They got out everything that was somehow left in their bodies,” the managing director praised the tired championship team, which can continue to hope for a successful title defense.
Hanning also knows that such energy output cannot be accessed every week. That’s why the team, which has been hit by injuries, needs to get reinforcements quickly. “We have to do something. We need an experienced player to help us,” he said. The Foxes are in discussions with two or three candidates. “I am sure that we can present a good player in the next 14 days,” announced the 57-year-old.