Team competes in ball game; players fling it into goal nets. - SC Magdeburg secures a strong hold on the trophy, planning for the future.
Everyone stopped believing in the German handball miracle now. SC Magdeburg is holding onto the championship trophy like it's their lifeline. Before the upcoming last away game between the Bordestädter against the Rhein Neckar Löwen (8:30 pm/Dyn) on Thursday, the lead of four points and 84 goals over Füchse Berlin is unreachable according to everyone's predictions.
Even SC Magdeburg's relaxed coach, Bennet Wiegert, couldn't help but celebrate after their close win against SC DHfK Leipzig on Sunday. "We need to figure out how we plan the week and maintain seriousness. The boys should enjoy and celebrate this moment first," Wiegert told Magdeburg's "Volksstimme".
Right now, SC Magdeburg is sitting pretty at the peak of Bundesliga, Europe, and potentially the whole handball world. They could create quite the rarity: the quadruple. They already have the World Cup trophy, the DHB Cup will be theirs soon after the match against HSG Wetzlar on Sunday. All they're missing is the pot for the Champions League triumph. On June 8th in Cologne, they'll face Aalborg AB first before possibly defending their title on June 9th.
Is this a time for bank printers?
Therefore, having the championship decided early is very convenient for the team. "Now we can entirely focus on the Champions League, with no pressure," said national player Lukas Mertens following the Leipzig game. Wiegert is confident that he and his teammates also want to win the remaining Bundesliga games. "I won't create any pressure. But we know the boys want to win this game too," said the successful coach.
He may even give some bank printers an opportunity to shine, like Philipp Weber or Michael Damgaard. Their talents shouldn't be underutilized: How many coaches can afford to not play national players all the time?
What's going on with the goalkeeper?
Wiegert is the man behind SC Magdeburg's success. He's carefully built this team over the years, meticulously acquiring players that fit his strategy on both skill and character levels. This team stands strong, untouched by any setbacks. The chaos caused by the doping scandal with Nikola Portner was handled brilliantly, they won the DHB Cup, and they made it to the Champions League Final Four.
If the Swiss goalkeeper is indeed suspended - his explanation ends on May 30th - Wiegert might have to think about bringing in another national goalie, Andreas Wolf, to Elbe. But he's staying in Kielce at the moment. The Poles are said to want 1.2 million euros for the transfer - an unusually high amount in handball. And that's over 1/10th of the SCM budget. However, the team's successes might generate additional income sources that make a transfer like this possible.
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- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Source: www.stern.de
