The volleyball players of SVG Lüneburg dream after moving into the play-off final games about the German championship of the first national title in the club’s history. A triumph in the “Best of Five” series against the Berlin Volleys would be the crowning glory of a breathtaking development that the club has taken in the past decade.
“Berlin, Berlin, we drive to Berlin,” echoed it through the Lüneburg Arena on Saturday evening, after Stefan Hübner’s protégés had won the fifth semi -finals against VfB Friedrichshafen 3-1 and thus made his way into the final. Many of the euphoric fans wore white T-shirts with the inscription: “Finale, a dream” while they sang the actual classic football.
You can now stow the jerseys in the wardrobe and instead cover up the latest article from the SVG fanshop. Because just one day after the victory against Friedrichshafen, the Bundesliga club offered a blue T-shirt with the inscription “Playoff final 2025”. “Order quickly now to look really good on Sunday in Berlin,” said the club’s social media channels with a view to the first encounter (4 p.m.) at the main round winner.
Rapid development in the past decade
Championship final? Professional merchandising? The Volleyball Gellersen Lüneburg Light Year was removed from this when Stefan Hübner started the coaching office at Lower Saxony in 2014. At the time, the club played in the second division in a sports hall with a ceiling for the Bundesliga and little marketing potential. Labining also did not stand in line to support the club.
Despite the prevailing infrastructural deficits at the time, managing director Andreas Bahlburg (now CEO), sports director Bernd Schlesinger and Hübner saw a lot of potential in the SVG. “When we started there twelve years ago, we had these dreams. Then visions become visions. Then you put a lot of work, patience and perseverance – even in difficult times. Then something great can develop,” said Hübner on Sunday at the NDR sports club.
Bahlburg, Hüber and Schlesingen Architects of Success
The former world-class blocker is the architect of sporting success together with Schlesinger. Among other things, the Lüneburger already reached the cup final three times in his tenure. The busy Bahlburg was responsible for the fact that the framework conditions continuously improved. The move to the arena opened in 2022 on the Lüner Rennbahn with its capacity for up to 3,500 spectators was a milestone for the club because it opened up new opportunities for him.
Compared to the series master from Berlin and many other European clubs with which Lüneburg dueled in the Champions League this season, the SVG still has a very small budget. Again and again Hübner had to let some of his best players go in recent years. It is all the more remarkable that Lüneburg has now moved into the final.
Players get a lot of freedom in Lüneburg
“We found the way and the constellation for ourselves that simply work,” said Hübner. The Bielefeld native addresses a clever transfer policy and good cooperation. Word got around. So far, in any case, it has been able to adequately compensate for serious departures.
“Our idea is that the players can play freely and show creativity. Then mistakes happen. But I think a lot more great things happen. The team has shown that again this year. And then with these successes, as in the Champions League, the belief in their own quality also grows,” explained the trainer.
Balanced season record against Berlin
In the Champions League, his team managed to eliminate Berlin. In the cup, on the other hand, the capitals had the longer breath. And in the Bundesliga, both clubs were able to win one of the direct duel this season. So there is no clear favorite before the final series begins next Sunday. And this fact is a huge success for the SVG, since it illustrates the rapid development of the association.
Hübner is still far from sending fighting in the direction of the 14-time German champion, for which he stood on the net from 1988 to 2000. “We are guided by our own standards. We want to play in a certain way, bring our culture to the field. If we do it, we know that we are a team that is very difficult to beat,” said the 49-year-old sober.
Almost sounds like it is the most normal thing for Hübner in the world that his protégés are now fighting for the title. But it is not how the coach ultimately admitted with a laugh: “I am excitedly excited.”
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Sports club | 04/20/2025 | 10:50 p.m.
