Kiel: one step from the German title

What a weekend for THW Kiel! The 29:27 victory in the first leg of the Champions League final in Ciudad Real was the icing on the cake for the Germans, but they could celebrate even one day before.

Without playing a single game for it, Kiel are in the best position now for winning their 14th German championship. The second placed SG Flensburg-Handewitt surprisingly lost their match at former CL winner SC Magdeburg by 28:32.

This result means that two rounds before the end of the season Flensburg (54:10 points) are now three points behind their old rival from Kiel (57:7). THW only need one point in the last two matches to celebrate their title within 70 hours from the second leg match of the CL Final.

On Wednesday 14 May, Kiel will play at Frisch Auf Göppingen, where they are the great favourites. THW manager Uwe Schwenker believes that winning the Bundesliga title is only a formality now:

“I’m sure that the Flensburg defeat decided the championship. We will win the title either in Göppingen or in our last match against Wetzlar.”

Flensburg’s coach, Kent-Harry Andersson, agrees:

“This was it! We lost the title, but we didn’t lose it in Magdeburg; we lost it before.”

SG’s left winger, Lars Christiansen, comments similarly:

“We lost too many points at our so called easy matches.”

After this defeat in Magdeburg, Flensburg will not win any title this season.

Behind the two top clubs, also the third Champions League spot is decided: HSV Hamburg are two points behind Flensburg and the three “northern stars” will represent Germany in the European elite league once again.

In case the Toyota Bundesliga should get another place in the CL (with a Kiel success against Ciudad), it’s not clear which team would qualify. Two current European cup finalists fight hard to secure their fourth place in the league: Rhein Neckar Löwen Mannheim (48:16) and HSG Nordhorn (46:18).

The decision may come next round when nearly all top teams meet each other in direct encounters: Rhein Neckar Löwen will play at home against Flensburg and HSV Hamburg will visit in Nordhorn.