Audio: Flensburg’s handball player disappoint again (1 min)
Status: 05.09.2025 7:38 p.m.
After a draw in Wetzlar and at home against Stuttgart, SG Flensburg-Handewitt at the promoted TSV GWD Minden is absolutely necessary for handball Bundesliga club SG Flensburg-Handewitt on Monday. Otherwise it could be tight for SG coach Ales Pajovic.
Just two game days in the new season have been completed, and the nerves of the SG fans have already been extremely stressed by their team. As a few days earlier in Wetzlar, the followers had to tremble on Thursday evening in the home game against TVB Stuttgart until the last second of the game that at least one point of the clearly desired two points would somehow be saved.
In Wetzlar, Niklas Theiß chased the ball just past the SG goal in front of the final siren, so it stayed with 33:33. And against Stuttgart, the block was at least the block and fended off the ball against Stuttgart in a free throw in the 2.05 m guest player Lenny Rubin after the season. On 29:29 on the scoreboard, nothing changed to facilitate all Flensburger.
Kiel, Magdeburg and Berlin are currently not the reference points
“It could have been worse even worse” – some fans of the three -time German champion should have had this idea for a second time in this still young season. But what does it say about the state of the team when, against the fifth last last season (Wetzlar) and the hairstyle of the descent, Stuttgarters succeeds with a lot of trouble and happiness?
Perhaps that the top team of recent years is currently (still) far from its own ambitions. Not Kiel, Magdeburg and Berlin currently seem to be the right reference points. In their work, the Flensburgers are currently finding a sporting way somewhere between Wetzlar and Stuttgart. Hardly anything has been easy to do so far. The SG professionals are currently fighting more handball than they play it – and ultimately they cramp.
Pajovic puzzles over reasons for the nervousness of the team
It was not only among the SG fans after the game against Stuttgart, SG coach Pajovic also had a hard time looking for reasons for the false start. “Our big problem was the defense,” said the Slovenian in the press conference after the game. Too many duels were lost.
But why this was so “difficult to say,” said the 46-year-old. “I don’t understand why we have such a stress. The hall was full, the fans were there, and we had the support – I don’t know why we start so nervously and then don’t have the necessary peace.”
“I think it’s over now, we have to do it.”
Ales Pajovic
An explanation, according to Pajovic, could be that five new players came into the team in the summer. “But anyway: we are Flensburg, we have to win such games at home.” Now it is a matter of continuing to work and improve things, the coach said.
There is not much time for this: on Monday (7 p.m., in the live ticker at NDR.de) the game is up to the Bundesliga promoted TSV GWD Minden. Pajovic clearly: “We have done many meetings in the past few days. I think now it’s over with speeches, we have to do.”
He should know that it could also be about his job. After the faux pas in Wetzlar, when he tried to take a fourth time in the final minute and switched to Hesse at 33:33 at 33:33, he had received the backing of SG sports director Ljubomir Vranjes. On Thursday evening, however, disillusionment against Stuttgart was added.
Not to forget: The development desired by the SG leadership had not existed among him last season. Pajovic and his predecessor Nicolej Krickau, who has been training the master Foxes Berlin since Thursday, did a point cut of 1.35. The Slovenian won the European League with the SG, but Krickau had also done this the year before.
Master coach Siewert on the market
Maybe the quake in Berlin could also lead to consequences high in the north of the republic. In addition to sports director Stefan Kretzschmar, coach Jaron Siewert also had to surprisingly go on Thursday. So if the 31-year-old does not want to take a break, a master coach is currently on the market. Pajovic has to deliver with his team in Minden on Monday – a third draw in a row could be one too much for him.
