The stage is set for the northern classic. The "Hölle Nord" is also the absolute top game in the DAIKIN HBL. THW Kiel are currently top of the table, with SG Flensburg-Handewitt right behind them. Kick-off is at 3.40 pm on Saturday.
THW Kiel won the DHB Cup in the last series. However, the record champions missed out on the EHF Champions League in fourth place in the DAIKIN HBL. "From an economic point of view, we are not condemned to participate in the Champions League, but it makes a lot of things easier," says THW Supervisory Board member Marc Weinstock. After seven match days, he can hope that his club will be involved in the allocation of tickets for the top flight. However, the preparation has had a few setbacks. Up to five professionals were missing from the training sessions due to injury. Hendrik Pekeler (Achilles tendon tear), who was replaced by Swiss pivot Lukas Laube at short notice, will be out for a long time. New Spanish signing Gonzalo Perez de Vargas (cruciate ligament rupture), who together with Andreas Wolff should form a very experienced keeper team, will have to be patient. In view of the summer shortage, other players got more match practice. For example, backcourt players Nikola Bilyk and Harald Reinkind, who had a lot of bad luck with injuries last season.
New middle block, new captain
Alongside Norwegian Petter Øverby, the two new pivots Lukas Laube and Veron Nacinovic, a 25-year-old Croatian who last played in Montpellier, form the middle block of the defense. "We were able to discuss a lot with both of them during the preparation and analyze mistakes," explains Filip Jicha. The THW coach named Rune Dahmke as the third team captain - alongside Domagoj Duvnjak and Nikola Bilyk. "He is someone who represents and defends our values," emphasized Filip Jicha. Rune Dahmke is the first Kiel-born player to take on this role. "I still can't put into words what this honor means to me," said the 32-year-old. "I grew up with the club and looked up to the players as a young boy." It's a similar story for the newly crowned U19 world champion Rasmus Ankermann, who is now gaining his first professional experience.
