Hab national player Xenia Smits leaves the HB Ludwigsburg, which had recently become financial difficulty. How things will go on for other top players is still open.
After opened bankruptcy proceedings of HB Ludwigsburg the German international Xenia Smits has found a new club. The back room player returns to French record champion Metz Handball. Smits played there from 2015 to 2020. “That is the best thing that could happen to me,” said the 31-year-old in a club announcement on Monday.
Antje Döll goes to Neckarsulm
National team captain Antje Döll, however, changes within the handball Bundesliga. Around three months before the start of the home World Cup, the 36-year-old signed at the sports union Neckarsulm, which had only become ninth of twelve teams last season. The association said special financial support from several sponsors and partners, the association said on Tuesday.
Smits with criticism and farewell
HB Ludwigsburg had submitted the application to open insolvency proceedings at the end of July. On August 4, those responsible informed the team that the financing of the upcoming Bundesliga season was not secured. The players – including many national players – are no longer tied to their contracts.
Smits had The club management then asked critical questionsbut: “We were not answered so many questions. How can it be that an association gets into the financial difficulties? How can you play with existence?” Smits said. In Metz, Smits signs a contract until the end of the coming season. In the past, she celebrated four championships and two cup wins with the French.
Team colleague Jenny Behrend also goes
On Tuesday it was also announced that Smits’ national team colleague Jenny Behrend will leave Ludwigsburg as the next player. As VfL Oldenburg announced, the 29-year-old changes back to her ex-club for the new season. “I am incredibly grateful for the chance I got from VfL and for you to catch me that way,” said Behrend. The foreign player was active for Oldenburg from 2014 to 2021 and celebrated the triumph in the DHB Cup in 2018. But she has not yet “realized” her comeback.
At Ludwigsburg, Behrend does not leave good hair. “It was played with existence,” she said. “It came super surprising for all of us, I haven’t quite understood it myself,” said Behrend to the open insolvency proceedings at the series master.
Whether the HB Ludwigsburg in the coming Bundesliga season can put a team at all is open. The club was excluded from the Supercup on August 23 in Munich and from the upcoming Champions League season. The league still has the door open to the long-standing figurehead of German women’s handball, but announced a new license test.
Prize on Sat., 9.8.2025 7:30 p.m., SWR Aktuell Baden-Württemberg, SWR BW
