Modest Nürnberg to try again

“We absolutely have no chance, but we want to take this chance,” right before the start of the Main Round, Nürnberg coach Herbert Müller is trying to underestimate his team, as usual.

“We are the total outsiders of our group. Maybe we don’t have any chance to get a single point, but we will fight hard to celebrate some more surprise.”

After beating Krim and Sävehof, Nürnberg are now the first German team ever to qualify to the bets eight teams in the Women’s CL.

“We will play against the main favourites of the whole CL, Valcea, and against two very strong Eastern European opponents. It will be absolutely tough,” said Müller.

His club, however, had some good news for the coach. The sponsors guaranteed for the club to play the main round. Eurosport will broadcast the matches live and EHF approved the playing hall also for the Main Round.

“Everything is perfect for us, so now we have to pay back the support with good performances,” Müller said.

In addition, he has a “new-old” player in the backcourt positon: Austrian international Steffi Ofenböck will return after the birth of her daughter, Mia, in November.

“It’s great that she will help us in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League. She’s very important for our offensive play,” the coach commented.

And the Austrian is highly motivated especially for the CL matches:

“We can achieve everything or nothing. We had the advantage in the first round that we surprised the other clubs. This effect is gone now. But we can make another sensation.”

Apart from Ofenböck, goalkeeper Sabine Stockhorst will also get a contract until the end of the season. She played in the reserves’ team so far and she has to substitute Jana Krause who suffered a knee injury at the CL match against Zvezda in January.

The first match in the Main Round will be against Valcea. Last season Nürnberg were eliminated by the Romanians in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

“Valcea are the same team as the Romanian national team. They play great handball and they are another league than Nürnberg,” says Müller.