Foxes still under stress after Super Globe defeat
The disappointment of the Füchse Berlin handball team was huge after losing the final of the IHF Super Globe. The 32:34 defeat in the final on Sunday evening was their first ever loss of the season. "I'm a bit sad. I would have liked to have won it, because it was possible. But I know how to classify it," said manager Bob Hanning.
After all, the reason for missing out on a third triumph at the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia after 2015 and 2016 was quickly found. "We simply lacked the strength at the back," said Hanning. Without the injured regulars Paul Drux, Fabian Wiede and Max Darj, the Berliners simply ran out of steam in the final phase.
The fixture list had already been tight. There were four games in five days at the Club World Cup. The semi-finals and final also went into extra time. "We put up an extreme fight. The boys gave it everything they had left in the tank," said coach Jaron Siewert.
Although the Foxes led for a long time against their long-term rivals Magdeburg, they were unable to hold on. At the start of the second half, the lead was as much as five goals. "I was hoping that we would be through at the start of the second half. Everything was in our favor then," said Hanning.
But there was no time to complain. And hardly any time to recover either. On Monday, the team traveled back early via Doha - on the same plane as Magdeburg. And on Tuesday evening, the next tough opponent awaits in the Max-Schmeling-Halle in the European League: Dinamo Bucharest (20:45/Dyn). The Romanians played in the Champions League last season. "For me, Bucharest in particular is a Champions League team with the squad and a top favorite for the title," warned Sporting Director Stefan Kretzschmar.
- Despite the exhaustion from the IHF Super Globe and the subsequent quick turnaround, Foxes Berlin are preparing to face Dinamo Bucharest in the EHF European League, a team Kretzschmar considers a top favorite for the title.
- The handball clash between Foxes Berlin and SC Magdeburg was a close one, with Foxes Berlin leading for a significant portion of the game, but ultimately falling short, a result that added to their stress following the IHF Super Globe defeat.
- The EHF European League isn't Foxes Berlin's only challenge, as they also competing against top-tier opponents such as Foxes Berlin's European League opponent, Dinamo Bucharest, who were in the Champions League last season, and Berlin's traditional rivals, SC Magdeburg.
Source: www.dpa.com
