Pre-season is over. The new Opel HBL season kicks off this weekend. SG Flensburg-Handewitt has a home game and will face ThSV Eisenach on Friday. Tip-off at the GGW Arena is at 8 p.m.
The sun is shining this summer, and so are the season predictions. The SG is once again expected to finish near the top. “We want to improve every day, become more and more consistent, and ultimately qualify for the Champions League,” says Ljubomir Vranjes. “But we also know that there are many teams that share our goal.” The sporting director believes the SG is well-prepared. “We’ve worked on the roster,” he says. “We now have more players who can step up and take responsibility in crucial moments.” Aleš Pajović has been communicating a lot in German, English, and Slovenian over the past few weeks to bring new perspectives to the team. “We don’t have any top-tier matches at the start, but our schedule isn’t easy either, since the new players still need time to fully integrate,” notes the SG coach.
14-Man Roster in “Hell of the North”
First up is ThSV Eisenach. “They’re dangerous if we don’t play at 100 percent ourselves,” emphasizes Aleš Pajović. “I want my team to show character. They need to show right away that it’s going to be tough to take points away from Flensburg.” Friday night promises another electric atmosphere. “We’re sold out for almost every game and have sold 5,000 season tickets again this season,” explains SG Managing Director Holger Glandof. “This number underscores the region’s connection to the SG, something we’re very proud of.” A few standing-room-only tickets are still available for the season opener. The game-day roster will include one additional player. Blaž Blagotinšek has been training with his teammates over the past few days and is expected to provide a boost to the 6-0 defense. Things are also looking good for Kent Robin Tønnesen. He’s been handling the ball over the past few days but has still avoided contact on the field.