SG Flensburg-Handewitt’s successful run to the EHF European League quarterfinals can be nothing more than a fleeting moment. Tomorrow, Saturday, they’ll face TBV Lemgo Lippe as they continue their quest for second place in the DAIKIN HBL. Tip-off at the GP JOULE Arena is at 7 p.m.
Aleš Pajović has been head coach of the SG for 15 months now. There are only a few opponents against whom he has yet to celebrate a victory. TBV Lemgo Lippe is one of them. In March 2025, the SG collapsed in Westphalia after a strong start and lost 29-34. And in December, the comeback after a weaker first half came too late and ended in a 33:34 loss. “We’ve always had some trouble against Lemgo; they can be really dangerous,” says Aleš Pajović. But he’s optimistic that success will come on the third try. The SG has home-court advantage and is currently in good form. “We need to bring our quality back onto the court and run forward quickly,” emphasizes the head coach. As a big fan of defense, he has shifted his own focus to fast-paced handball. The thrill of speed is apparently the current trend at the top level in Europe. The SG scored 43 goals in Hanover, and SC Magdeburg even scored 45 against Szeged.
The Path to the EHF Champions League
The final five matchdays of the DAIKIN HBL will determine which clubs qualify for the next EHF Champions League. In addition to the likely German champion SC Magdeburg, the second-place team will certainly be considered for Europe’s premier competition. Third place is considered very uncertain, as victory in the EHF European League is regarded as more prestigious, and a maximum of three clubs from Germany are allowed to participate in the top-tier club handball competition. It currently looks like the SG is vying with Füchse Berlin for second place. This makes a victory against Lemgo all the more important. It’s good news that there will most likely be no changes to the roster. In contrast, TBV backcourt dynamo Lukas Hutecek has been unable to play for the past three weeks. “I always expect everything and prepare for every possibility,” says Aleš Pajović. “But I don’t think he’ll play.” The SG coach knows both Lukas Hutecek and goalkeeper Constantin Möstl very well from his many years of service with the Austrian Handball Federation.