Handball Bundesliga-SC Magdeburg defeats Berlin Foxes by personnel quake

Handball fans from all over Germany looked at Berlin on Saturday afternoon. In the new edition of the Champions League final, the Berlin Füchse received SC Magdeburg for the top Bundesliga in the sold-out Max-Schmeling-Halle. Despite the early season time, the game was extremely explosive: in the previous season the foxes had won the championship with just one point lead – a victory in the direct duel could be crucial for who won the title at the end of the season.

Nevertheless, the more urgent question was: How do the foxes do in the first game without the released master coach Jaron Siewert and the exempted sports director Stefan Kretzschmar? And how do fans react?

Briefly caught: not good. The foxes experienced a difficult afternoon on the field. With 39:32, the guests prevailed, with the Berliners being happy not to have lost even higher. And next to the plate? Similarly unfortunate: Even before the game, some fans had greeted Nicolej Krickau with whistles when he ran into the hall. The Dane inherited both ex-coach Siewert and sports director Kretzschmar in Berlin and made his debut at the Foxes on Saturday. He could understand the frustration of the fans, but did not see him directed against himself: “I think that was more respect for Jaron as a lack of respect for me,” he said at the press conference after the game.

Defeat falls into the background

Foxes managing director Bob Hanning cannot say the same. When he stepped onto the playing interview with the “Sportschau”, the reaction of the fans was unmistakable: whistles, buffs, “Jaron Siewert” speaking choirs and various, less nicely meant hand signals and gestures of fans towards Hanning-their anger that he also gave birth to Kretzschmar was clearly felt from his tasks.

At the microphone, the 57-year-old commented on both separations, which, according to Hanning, should be viewed in a differentiated manner: “Stefan announced his decision last Tuesday that he will leave the club next year, so we have put together and tried to find a reasonable and good decision, and we did that.” In turn, it was about a solution to the future. “We chose Nicolej Krickau because of the entire concept,” said the managing director. He did not answer why there could be no part of this future. Hanning said: »We had ten months. It was no need to make quick decisions at all. ”Nevertheless, he made a quick decision. “We wanted a full -time sporting director” – and that should be called Krickau, not.

Violent bankruptcy

The start of the new era initially failed. “Nobody thought it would take a day,” said coach Krickau after the game at the press conference in the next room of the sports hall. In view of the hustle and bustle, it would have been surprising if the foxes had taken revenge for the Champions League final defeat in this constellation.

Hardly anyone had expected that it would be so clear. “It was extremely bitter today,” said Fabian Wiede after the game at the streaming service Dyn. “In the end there were only seven (points difference), but in between there were twelve. That felt worse than the result is, «said the back room player.

Magdeburg Selig

All the satisfied was guest coach Bennet Wiegert: »The Magdeburg soul is very happy, no question at all. Playing this way here and appearing so dominant makes us incredibly proud, «he said after the game – and had to answer questions about the importance of victory for the championship. But he defended them decisively: “Now we stay calm. It is the third matchday. A great start, but that doesn’t say anything. “

In addition to his team, the Magdeburger native also praised the numerous fans who came to Berlin. “It didn’t feel like an away game,” he said in the field on the ARD microphone. The SCM supporters in the ranks not only cheer on their players, but also had a well-intentioned advice for the foxes: In the second half, when their team had long since hurried, they sang: “Without Jaron you have no chance!”