BVB coach Groener: Playoffs make the league more exciting!

BVB coach Groener: Playoffs make the league more exciting!

In the current handball season, Borussia Dortmund (BVB) took 4th place in the Bundesliga finals in an exciting competition. However, the path to the final was riddled with challenges, especially in the playoffs, where BVB lost against HSG Blomberg-Lippe and also lost in the subsequent bronze duel against Thüringer HC. BVB coach Henk Groener was disappointed, but at the same time pointed out the positive main round, which the team finished in second place with a lead of four points over Blomberg-Lippe and Thuringia. The team also secured participation in the European League next season.

Groener explained that the team suffered greatly from injuries, which were particularly noticeable in the final stretch of the season. Five to six players were missing, including both goalkeepers. Regarding the competition, Groener said: “The gap to Ludwigsburg has become smaller,” and he also praised the reintroduced playoffs, which, in his opinion, have made the league more interesting. The audience response to the home games was high, which is pleasing for the club management.

Game plan criticism and competition intensity

Another point that Groener addressed was the game plan. Before the European Championship break, BVB only played ten games in two months, followed by 17 competitive games until the beginning of April, and finally the players had to play seven games in the playoffs in just 17 days. Groener found this complexity stressful.

In a completely different area, the UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund recently won an important victory against Shakhtar Donetsk. In the game, which took place at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund won 3-1. Serhou Guirassy was the protagonist of the evening, scoring two goals and assisting for the third. After a temporary collapse caused by a goal from Shakhtar, Ramy Bensebaini managed to restore the lead for Dortmund. The team put in a dominant performance that significantly strengthened their chances of progressing to the final round of Champions League qualification.

Current seasonal situation and outlook

The current status is a pure contrast for Dortmund and Shakhtar: Dortmund is currently in 14th place in their own league with 12 points, while Shakhtar only remains in 27th place and has only collected seven points. This is also evident in their last five meetings in European competitions: Dortmund remain unbeaten against Shakhtar, with four wins and one draw.

Coach Groener and his team are facing an important and potentially challenging next season. The challenges of last season, both in the playoffs and in the Champions League, demanded a lot from the team. But the drive and ambitions remain high. Dortmund wants to prepare for the European League and at the same time build on their own strengths while relying on the support of their loyal fan base in the next games.