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Flensburg last season limited Fuchse down to 16 and 18 goals

- The last two games with Flensburg, we played bad, but despite this fact I am still so naive to think we stand a chance to win in Flensburg - optimistic was coach Sigurdsson.

In six games of Bundesliga Flensburg did not manage to score over 29 goals. Until the last game at Lubbecke (29-25) this figure was 27. From that point of view two matches of Champions League were just what they needed, as they first defeated the Danish champions Aalborg, 31-27, and then in Sweden the Swedish counterpart Drott, 37-27.

No special attention should be given to these two handball games. In Sweden Andersson stopped 16 shots, Flensburg scored lots of easy goals, and coach Vranjes tried out the 5-1 defense. It is more important to emphasize that vs Lubbecke they were scored 9 goals against, in the second half. This is important to point out because they will need a top class defense today. Fuchse are strong defensively, and Flensburg's offense this season, lacking the injured Kaufmann and with Nenadic and Gustafsson at left back positions, has not been what there were the last season, when besides Kaufmann played Petar Djordjic. Slightly unreal sounds the fact Flensburg last season in two league games limited Fuchse down to 18, and 16 games. A feat almost impossible to repeat.

- I am sure that Fuchse, the same as us, will be fighting for their place in Champions League. They have a somewhat different roster with respect to the last season's, but still deserve respect - coach Vranjes praises the visitors.

This is a first tough opponent of the season at home, and the schedule is still pretty good in the forthcoming period, when they are meeting Lemgo, Emsdetten, Velenje, Gummersbach. Taking into account they were already losing at Magdeburg and Lowen, today's points are very important to keep close to the top of the table.

- These two points are kind of a bonus if taken at a title challenger's - says the Fuchse boss Bob Hanning.

The Berlin team is currently two points ahead of Flensburg. They are on a streak of five wins, their only defeat dating back to the first round at Melsungen. All they did afterwards was very convincing, particularly impressive was their performance in Magdeburg where Flensburg lost. The last round's game brought another win vs Minden, 32-25. That game featured the return of right winger Markus Richwien, who managed to score 6. Coach Sigurdsson did not hesitate to throw him into the starting lineup, quite surprisingly, instead of a safe-choice Swede, Mattias Zachrisson. Sigurdsson explained it by a considerable power consumption in Magdeburg, which lead to a conclusion Zachrisson will start today on the wing.

- The last two games with Flensburg, we played bad, but despite this fact I am still so naive to think we stand a chance to win in Flensburg - optimistic was coach Sigurdsson.

His defensive line is currently very compact and smoothly working together. Christopherson came back, Horak is just brilliant, Jaszka and Romero complement each other in the middle, and Igropulo is on right back. This lineup acts in this moment much better than Flensburg's, which strongly depends on Glandorf and Mogensen.

I've explained in the preview where could Fuchse's advantage lie. Here I will point out just a few important facts. Flensburg's current performances are not very encouraging. There's a lot of struggle and poor play against an organized defense. They beat Goppingen with a bit of luck and referee help, they were trailing behind Lubbecke 16-13 at halftime, turned the score around in the second period, even though it was close at 22-22 near the end. Lubbecke also played without their best player (Vukovic). They suffered a clear defeat at Lowen, lost again to Magdeburg, the same Magdeburg that Fuchse destroyed on the road (the final 25-23 score doesn't reveal the true picture). Flensburg had trouble at home even against Aalborg, who were decimated by injuries. Fuchse have been preparing for this derby for 10 days, while Flensburg had two Champions League games in that period. The away team's backcourt lineup is currently more cohesive, better and more diverse. Flensburg are thin in the left back position and this is clearly felt in their games. Last year's Flensburg was a stronger team and there is no need to comment on Fuchse's two disasters of that period. Here we can expect a lot more resistance from them, a contest of equal opponents...