The Handball Bundesliga starts the 2023/24 season with the Supercup on August 23rd. Who are the favorites for the championship, who will have a hard time, which newcomers can handball fans look forward to? Sports show expert Dominik Klein gives an overview.
The new season of the Handball Bundesliga is about to start. On Wednesday (23 August, live ticker from 7 p.m. on sportschau.de) the 2023/24 season will kick off with the Supercup – the duel between the German champions THW Kiel and the DHB cup winner Rhein-Neckar-Löwen. “The Supercup is another heat maker for the season, a location determination in which the teams can pick up momentum again”says Dominik Klein, ex-national player, world champion 2007 and sports show expert.
The teams can use momentum because: “Excitement is pre-programmed.” The race for the championship was tight for a long time last season. Several teams had a chance of winning the title until the final phase. It could be the same this time, predicts Klein.
Favorites Quintet
In any case, the starting position is similar. The top teams are old friends. “Flensburg, Kiel, Magdeburg and Füchse Berlin – these are the top candidates for the German championship”says Dominik Klein, “with a little distance to the rest, I would speak of a favorite quintet with the Rhein-Neckar-Löwen.”
On paper, the SG Flensburg-Handewitt can probably fall back on the individually strongest squad. “They made sensational commitments”, enthuses Klein. Simon Pytlick and Lukas Jörgensen come from GOG Handball (Denmark). Only in January did they become world champions with Denmark. Pytlick was also named MVP of the 22/23 season by the European Handball Federation. Kay Smith from league rivals SC Magdeburg comes on the right backcourt position. He was one of the top four goalscorers last season. The trainer is also new: the Dane Nicolej Krickau. “It will be exciting to see how quickly he can convey his philosophy to the team and how they will find each other.”
Upheaval in top teams
At the German champions THW Kiel, Dominik Klein’s ex-club, another question is in the foreground: “It’s year one after Niklas Landin. So the big question will be: will his successor, Vincent Gerard, be able to absorb that?” World goalkeeper Landin was in goal for Kiel for eight years, and his departure is a turning point. Although the THW has with the commitment of Barças Gonzalo Perez de Vargas has landed a similar caliber as Landin, but the 2025 change is still a long way off. Also the Norwegian superstar Sander Sagosen left the club. They want to compensate by signing 20-year-old playmaker Elias Ellefsen á Skipagötu from the Faroe Islands. “He was last in the Swedish league MVP. He is considered a great talent. It’s an exciting personality.”
SC Magdeburg has shone with consistency in recent years. “Bennet Wiegert has a requirement profile for every position, which suits him, the club and his style of play. So they always have a high quality, a high standard.” That brought them the Champions League title and the runner-up spot. Right behind them, Füchse Berlin ended last season. “They want to learn from last year’s mistakes. And we can definitely build on that in the championship race.”so small.
battle for Europe
The Rhein-Neckar-Löwen complete the circle of favorites. Small: “I’m curious to see if they can improve the level and how the style of play around center man Juri Knorr will develop.” The playmaker has not only blossomed into a top performer for the Rhein-Neckar-Löwen, but also for the German national team. In order to keep up coach Sebastian Hinze’s intensive style of play, Knorr and Co. were added to the squad: four newcomers and two returnees join the lions.
“With five favourites, there’s not much left for the rest when you think about the coveted European places”, so small. The first and second place in the Bundesliga secures a ticket for the Champions League, places three to five qualify for the European League. “For me, the unspoken goal of wanting to play in Europe is linked to teams like Hannover, Lemgo, Leipzig and Erlangen, all of whom are doing a good job.”
Despite all the competition, MT Melsungen may have actually formulated this goal. “With such a budget, with such obligations, the right to European seats is part of it.” The Hessians’ most notable transfer this year: the Latvian 2.15 meter giant Dainis Krisopans. The financially strong club from Hesse has been putting together a promising squad for years, and for years they have more or less fallen short of expectations. “The question mark is: Will Melsungen surprise us with a constant development this year?”
surprise potential
According to Klein, VfL Gummersbach could also cause a surprise. “They surprised me last year when they scored points that nobody thought they could do. I believe they’re capable of another season like this.” Coach Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson brings stability to the team, under him they were promoted to the first division in 2022 and secured tenth place in the first year. Julian Köster matured into a national player in the second division and took another big step in his development in the first season in the Oberhaus.
Steps that other young players could also take. Renars Uscin, Justus Fischer (both Hanover), Nils Lichtlein (Füchse Berlin) and David Späth (Rhein-Neckar-Löwen) caused a sensation at the beginning of July thanks to their title at the U21 World Championship. Now they also want to draw attention to themselves in the Bundesliga. “You should definitely keep an eye on the juniors this season”says Dominik Klein, “someone like Nils Lichtlein, who was honored as the most valuable player at the World Cup, or Justus Fischer, who has what it takes to shape the German national team as the next big pivot.”
Players to watch
There are a few more players to keep an eye on. ‘When asked who the ‘Players to watch‘ are this season, of course there is always talk about Simon Pytlick or Dainis Krisopans”says Klein, “But I have two more on the list that could really inspire this season.“
The Swede Felix Claar is moving from the Danish top club Aalborg Handbold to SC Magdeburg. “The playmaker access to SCM is a really cool personality”says Klein. The 26-year-old is a strong overall package with attacking and defensive qualities. “In addition, the last-minute signing from THW is an interesting player: Eduardo Gurbindo.” Klein played with the back right when he was playing in Nantes. “Rarely have I played with such an intelligent player. He will bring a lot of joy in the Bundesliga.“
relegation candidates
A difficult Bundesliga season, on the other hand, is likely to await promoted HBW Balingen-Weilstetten and ThSV Eisenach. “The promoted are the first to be mentioned when it comes to the relegation battle. Arriving in the top flight is not easy – even if both teams are old acquaintances”, so small. Balingen already played in the Bundesliga from 2006 to 2017 and 2019 to 2022 and fought back immediately after relegation. Eisenach made his last trip to the first division in 2015/16.
Teams like HSG Wetzlar or TVB Stuttgart, who also struggled last season, will try to distance themselves from these teams as quickly as possible in order not to slide down the table. “For Wetzlar it will be particularly important to bring in consistency, the TVB hopes for a positive effect by signing national player Kai Häfner”Klein explains.