After a week filled with international matches, SG Flensburg-Handewitt now needs to switch back to club mode as quickly as possible. The rescheduled match against SC Magdeburg kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, at 8 p.m. This will be followed on Sunday by an away game against TVB Stuttgart.
The stakes are clear. While the host SC Magdeburg can clinch the championship title, the SG aims to defend its second-place position in the DAIKIN HBL. “Our goal is the same as always: two points,” emphasizes Aleš Pajović. “But to do that, we need 60 minutes of focus and consistency. Magdeburg will immediately capitalize on any lapse to pull ahead by a few goals.” The SG coach spent last week, together with his assistant coach Simon Hennig, closely analyzing the tactics of the designated champions. Many one-on-one situations are expected in Magdeburg. “After the cup games, people thought the SCM might be struggling a bit,” says Aleš Pajović. “But then they showed in the league and the Champions League just how strong they are.” First, they ran over Pick Szeged 45–37, then HSV Hamburg 41–28.
Average performances won’t be enough
The SG’s record against SC Magdeburg isn’t particularly encouraging. The SG hasn’t won any of its last seven competitive matches against SC Magdeburg and has been waiting for a victory since October 2022. In December, there was a 29-35 loss in the DHB Cup. “Magdeburg is the favorite,” says Aleš Pajović. “But if we put in a very good performance, we have a chance.” On the positive side: All eleven players who were with their national teams last week have returned in good form. In contrast, Magdeburg is worried about Oscar Bergendahl. The pivot and defensive strategist injured his ankle during a Sweden national team match. Either way: The hosts will welcome the northerners with great respect. “We have to pay attention to everything against Flensburg. For me, that’s the team with the fastest-paced game in the league,” warns SCM coach Bennet Wiegert. “Business as usual won’t be enough. We need a special kind of energy—from the outside and from the inside.”