Countdown, part 7: SG Flensburg-Handewitt

Nobody expected a season like this for the Northern Germans in 2011/12: At first Flensburg secured the second rank in the German league ahead of teams like Füchse Berlin, HSV Hamburg or Rhein Neckar Löwen, then they took the EHF Cup Winners’ Cup trophy. After a year without participating in the VELUX EHF Champions League the two times finalist (2004 and 2007) wants to join the elite in the knock-out stage now again.

The still Scandinavian constructed team with German stars like Lars Kaufmann or Holger Glandorf did not change that much: Tamás Mocsai and Viktor Szilagyi left, German international Steffen Weinhold arrived, Ljubomir Vranjes is still the coach. But the Germans have to cope with a severe injury of their top talent: Petar Djordjic, who just became German citizen, is out for months after a rupture of the cruciate ligament.
Former manager Holger Kaiser left the club too and now is a member of the Executive Board of the German Bundesliga.

"We compete in an interesting group with three traditional Champions League opponents. Due to the participation of the Wild Card Tournament winner, this group will be certainly more difficult. Our goal is to reach the Quarter-final of the Champions League," the new club manager Dierk Schmäschke said.

The team captain Tobias Karlsson isn´t expecting an easy challenge either: "This is a tough group. But we know that the Champions League is not a walk in the park. About our goals, we haven’t talked with the team yet."

Three questions to Flensburg coach Ljubomir Vranjes:
ehfCL.com: What are your expectations for the upcoming season of the VELUX EHF Champions League - concerning your objectives and your group opponents?
Ljubomir Vranjes: This is the toughest of all groups of the Champions League. It will be interesting to see which teams will make it to the next round. Each team has its qualities, small favourite is probably Montpellier. The home games are most important for us, we must win them all. We want to reach the next round.
 
ehfCL.com: What does the participation in the VELUX EHF Champions League mean to you and your club?
Ljubomir Vranjes: Champions League is a good way and opportunity to develop for the future, as we face the best teams in Europe. Club, sponsors, fans and our youth can enjoy a nice competition.

ehfCL.com: What teams are your personal favourites to reach the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and for winning the title this season – and why?
Ljubomir Vranjes: THW Kiel and FC Barcelona have the best squads and will grab for the title. I expect Montpellier below those two teams. Also other clubs have a chance to go to Cologne.

SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER)

Qualification for the 2012/2013 VELUX EHF Champions League season: German runners-up
Coach: Ljubomir Vranjes, since November 2010
Newcomers: Steffen Weinhold (TV Großwallstadt), Maik Machulla (ASV Hamm-Westfalen), Morten Dibbert (second team), Malte Voigt (youth)
Left the club: Viktor Szilagyi (Bergischer HC), Tamás Mocsai (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Lars Bastian (SV Henstedt-Ulzburg)
Season’s objective in national league and VELUX EHF Champions League: Qualification for an European Cup competition in Bundesliga and to reach the quarterfinal in VELUX EHF Champions League

VELUX EHF Champions League records:
Participations (including 2012/2013 season): 8
Final (2): 2003/2004, 2006/2007
Semi-final (1): 2005/2006
Quarter-final (3): 2004/2005, 2008/2009, 2010/2011
Main Round (1): 2007/2008

Other EC records:
Cup Winners Cup:
Winner 2000/2001 2011/2012
EHF Cup:
Winner: 1996/1997
City Cup:
Winner 1998/1999
German champion: 2004
German Cup winner: 2003, 2004, 2005

Further information
Find more information on Flensburg-Handewitt HERE.
Join the growing community of handball fans on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/ehf.champions.league