Once again, the GP JOULE Arena is the venue for a top encounter. SG Flensburg-Handewitt will face VfL Gummersbach in the DAIKIN HBL. Kick-off is at 8 pm on Saturday.
When you think of handball history, you also think of VfL Gummersbach. In the golden quarter of a century from 1966 to 1991, the West Germans won no fewer than twelve German championships and five European Cups. Now that the 60th season of the German Handball Bundesliga is underway, people are looking back on a glorious era. The greats of the club's history, such as the former national coach Heiner Brand, are always being used for nostalgia chapters. However, VfL Gummersbach is much more than just glorious history. It is currently one of the best clubs in Germany again and is heading for a return to the European stage. Its popularity is as great as it was in its legendary days. The twelve-year-old Schwalbe-Arena has long known only one number of spectators: 4132 - sold out. "We hope that this season, with a well-coordinated team and more quality in the squad, we can at least score more points than last year," said VfL coach Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson before the start.
Four former SG players
The squad includes no fewer than four former SG Flensburg-Handewitt players. Kay Smits only moved from the far north to the Oberbergische in the summer. The Dutch left-handed player has flourished and is often Gummersbach's top scorer. Right-back is the only position at VfL that has been renewed anyway. The Portuguese João Gomes is also a new signing. This means that Teitur Einarsson has a tough time. The Icelander joined from SG in the summer of 2024. Since then, Kentin Mahé has also worn the VfL jersey again. The Frenchman became German champion with SG in 2018. Lukas Blohme is already in his seventh season for Gummersbach. The right winger was an SG talent in his youth. As the traditional club blossoms, the nominations for the DHB selection pile up. For a long time, Julian Köster was the only German national player in VfL kit. The backcourt ace will join THW Kiel in the summer. VfL Gummersbach was able to welcome three DHB debutants this year: Miro Schluroff is one of the strongest throwing German backcourt players, Mathis Häseler is a young right wing hopeful, and Tom Kiesler has blossomed into a strong defensive strategist. Other key players in the VfL squad are goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanović, left wingers Milos Vujović and Tilen Kodrin as well as circle runners Kristjan Horzen and Ellidi Snaer Vidarsson. Danish keeper Bertram Obling has also impressed and has just extended his contract until 2028.
