Season opener for Füchse Berlin – getting started in Eisenach and returning to the Champions League
On Saturday evening (7 September 2024), Füchse Berlin are starting the new DAIKIN Handball-Bundesliga (HBL) season with an away game against ThSV Eisenach. After intense preparations and successfully winning the HBL Super Cup against SC Magdeburg on Saturday, expectations are high.
Preparations and new additions
Füchse Berlin began their preparations for the new 2024/25 handball season on 18 July with the usual performance diagnostics and various test matches and tournaments, including the international SO-TECH CUP in Halle (Westphalia), where they finished in third place.
During this preparation stage, Danish Olympic winners Mathias Gidsel and Lasse Andersson also returned to the team after their triumph in Paris. Both players are key figures for Füchse. World-class handball player Gidsel was also named MVP of the Olympic tournament, as the top scorer. In addition, U21 world champions Lasse Ludwig and Max Beneke are now full members of the team. The two youngsters have come from cooperation partner and promoted first division team 1. VfL Potsdam. There are two genuine new arrivals in the form of European champion Tobias Reichmann and Austrian pivot player Lukas Herburger.
Super Cup success – a kick-start to the season
The team’s preparations were rounded off in style with a win at the HBL Super Cup (31 August 2024). Füchsedefeated SC Magdeburg 32:30 in a thrilling match. Particularly worthy of mention are the performances by Jerry Tollbring, who scored nine goals, and Lasse Andersson, who was named man of the match. This historic win has given the team a huge boost of motivation for the upcoming season.
Starting the HBL season
The first game of the new HBL season takes Füchse Berlin to Eisenach on Saturday. ThSV Eisenach played an impressive 2023/24 season as a promoted team and secured their position in the league early on. Füchse, on the other hand, led the table for a long time but were ultimately overtaken by Magdeburg, and qualified for the Champions League as runner up for the first time in eleven years.
Füchse Berlin faced ThSV Eisenach twice last season and were able to win both matches. At their first meeting in Berlin, Füchse defeated their opponents 37:29. At the return game in Eisenach, the Berlin team emerged victorious with a score of 31:27.
Füchse Berlin are hugely motivated and seeking to start the new season with a win. The match against Eisenach will be a vital first yardstick for the Berlin team’s ambitions this season. Coach Jaron Siewert emphasised: ‘We have a properly difficult season ahead of us. There will be a few challenges this year. We almost squeezed the maximum out of last season.’
We have a properly difficult season ahead of us. There will be a few challenges this year. We almost squeezed the maximum out of last season.
Returning to the Champions League
A particular highlight of this season will be Füchse Berlin’s return to the Champions League. On Thursday (12 September 2024) at 8:45 p.m. in Berlin’s Max-Schmeling-Halle, they will be competing at the elite level of European handball once again for the first time in eleven years. They will face Veszprém HC, a team they met a few days ago in the SO-TECH Cup. This rematch promises to be an exciting, top-class duel to kick off the group stages of the Champions League.
Prospects for home opener
After an away game in in Eisenach and the first Champions League match at home in Berlin, Füchse then have their first home game of the HBL season. On Sunday (15 September), Füchse Berlin will be welcoming SC DHfK Leipzig to the Max-Schmeling-Halle. There is great anticipation for this home opener, and fans can look forward to a thrilling game and an exciting season.
We wish Füchse Berlin a great start and a successful 2024/25 season.