Pre-season is over. Now things are getting “serious” at the GGW Arena: SG kicks off the 2026/27 season with a home game against ThSV Eisenach. Tip-off is Friday at 8 p.m.
Last season, ThSV Eisenach was the last team to play in the “Hölle Nord.” Now, SG Flensburg-Handewitt will host this opponent right at the start of the Opel HBL. Just under three months ago, the hosts won 36–31. Two weeks ago, the teams met again at the foot of the Wartburg. The SG came back from a deficit after halftime to secure a 31–28 victory. It was a reunion for Marko Grgić, who played for the Thuringian team from 2022 to 2025. However, the number of familiar faces had decreased somewhat, as ThSV Eisenach said goodbye to five players in June and has now welcomed four new signings. Nevertheless, there was no major shake-up: Left wing Vincent Büchner, who moved to THW Kiel, was the only player with starting-seven caliber. Philipp Meyer, who followed his former coach Misha Kaufmann to Stuttgart a year later, played a more prominent role on defense.
ThSV Eisenach and Its Roster
The new additions are all talented players who are expected to continue developing in the Opel HBL. The left wing position was completely revamped. David Móré had previously played for the Rhein-Neckar Löwen under coach Sebastian Hinze. Swedish player Felix Montebovi is only 20 years old, but he already made his debut at the Men’s European Championship in January. Left-hander Elias Scholtes was promoted with Bergischer HC last season, but his progress was then hampered by injuries, and he now hopes for a fresh start in Eisenach. The 23-year-old goalkeeper Mats Grupe comes from the second-division club Eulen Ludwigshafen and is expected to gain experience initially behind veterans Matija Špikić and Silvio Heinevetter. The established starters include captain Peter Walz, the hard-shooting left-hander Stephan Seitz, Swiss playmaker Felix Aellen, and Swedish left-back Oskar Joelsson. Last spring, the team finished in 14th place. Now in their fourth top-flight season since their promotion in 2023, the ThSV Eisenach players are keeping their expectations modest. “We know we’re a team fighting to stay in the league,” explains Sebastian Hinze. His team already played its first competitive match last Sunday: In the DHB Cup, they secured a 34–26 away victory against second-division side Bayer Dormagen.
