“Rhein-Neckar Löwen: From Disappointment to Domination in Handball Bundesliga”

The competition praises, the league is amazed: The Rhein-Neckar Löwen lead the table in the handball Bundesliga. This comes as a surprise even to the club itself. Because after the disappointing tenth place in the previous season, the club with the new coach Sebastian Hinze actually wanted to slowly approach the top regions of the table again.

Rhein-Neckar Löwen ahead of the top game in Kiel

But so far everything has turned out differently – and better than expected: seven games, seven wins. Which is why the Mannheimers are now facing something that they had not necessarily expected this season: a top game. On Sunday (2:00 p.m.) the Löwen, who have no points lost, play third-placed THW Kiel, who has already lost once this season.

Olle Forsell Schefvert sees his team as outsiders

“We’re going there as leaders, but we’re still the outsiders,” says backcourt player Olle Forsell Schefvert, who is one of the main reasons for the unexpectedly rapid upswing at the two-time German champions. The Swede switched from HSG Wetzlar to the Löwen before the season, together with the second new signing Halil Jaganjac he has since formed the center of defense for the North Badeners, whose game has completely changed with this duo.

Because in contrast to their predecessors Mait Patrail and Ilija Abutovic, both can also be used on the offensive, which is why there are no defense-attack changes and instead there is more speed in the game. A move that had been planned for a long time.

Rhein-Neckar Löwen convince with speed handball

“The analysis of the last one and a half years with the lion has shown that there were not enough players who could initiate, shape and follow this fast-paced game from defence. Olle and Halil can do that,” says Hinze, who as chief strategist is responsible for the resurrection of Mannheim enabled and planned. As early as spring 2021, he gave the lions his commitment for the summer of 2022 and influenced the composition of the squad accordingly. So far with success. Because in the first few weeks, the North Badeners rushed through their games at express speed, 45 fast counter-attack hits are the best in the league.

It is therefore not surprising that Jamal Naji, Hinze’s successor at Bergisches HC, ennobles the lions as the “best first wave team” in the Bundesliga. Stefan Kretzschmar is also full of praise. “The Lions are currently the team that counterattacks best and most consistently,” says the sports director of Füchse Berlin, who are currently second in the table.

Back in the top group with a five-year plan

In Mannheim, people like to hear these compliments. After a whole series of low points, coach changes and wrong decisions since the championships (2016, 2017) and the cup victory (2018), the praise is good. The joy at the start of the season is understandably great anyway, as Hinze makes clear: “14:0 points, we wouldn’t have dreamed of that a few weeks ago.”

Despite all the euphoria, humility prevails, which is why a five-year plan was drawn up for a permanent return to the top flight, which also provides for contract extensions with key players. This includes the world-class Swedish goalkeeper Mikael Appelgren, who forms one of the best teams in the Bundesliga together with the German national goalkeeper Joel Birlehm. “We’ve had good goalkeeping in every game so far,” said new captain Patrick Groetzki.

Explosive goalkeeper clash

Birlehm only moved from SC DHfK Leipzig to Mannheim in January, Appelgren returned in the spring after an almost two-year injury break. As a duo, they now face the world’s best keeper on Sunday: Niklas Landin from Kiel.