The free weekend was certainly not inconvenient. After the smooth defeat in Nantes, THW Kiel is under pressure against Aalborg today. The previous yield in the Champions League is rather meager with only 4:6 points.
The Kiel handball players didn’t beat about the bush for long after the bitter 30:38 bankruptcy last Thursday in Nantes. Coach Filip Jicha even apologized for the performance (“not THW-Kiel-like”). “We have to work that out very, very carefully,” demanded Managing Director Viktor Szilagyi. Backcourt ace Harald Reinkind warned: “Now we have to win against Aalborg in order not to lose the connection completely.”
Dahmke may be fit again
In terms of personnel, the situation for the game that starts today at 8.45 p.m. will remain manageable. Of the injured players, left winger Rune Dahmke (torn muscle fiber) is likely to be available again.
Position colleague Magnus Landin (liver) is just as unthinkable as Sander Sagosen (ankle), Hendrik Pekeler (Achilles tendon) and Sven Ehrig (cruciate ligament rupture). Due to the absence of both regulars, playmaker Miha Zarabec and temporary Malte Voigt were the last to play on the left wing.
Aalborg: Hype about superstar Hansen
Meanwhile, Niklas Landin gets a taste of his future. The world-class keeper will be leaving Kiel after eight years in the summer and signing on in Aalborg. In North Jutland they are building a team that is supposed to win the Champions League.
Most recently, the commitment of the Danish superstar Mikkel Hansen caused a hype. The backcourt player has already scored 35 goals in the five games of the European premier class, but could not prevent the most recent 33:39 defeat against Barcelona.
Recent duel with Aalborg gives hope
The Icelandic playmaker Aron Palmarsson, who was something of the favorite student of ex-coach and compatriot Alfred Gislason from 2009 to 2015, is well known in Kiel. Last November, however, he only scored twice on his return to Kiel – and Aalborg lost 28:31. A hint for the new edition this Wednesday? “I’m expecting a close, really exciting game,” said THW coach Jicha.
This topic in the program:
NDR 2 Sports | 02.11.2022 | 11:03 p.m
