Rhein-Neckar Löwen is back, Pick Szeged is looking like a real threat in the Champions League this season, and Anna Vyakhireva is the signing of the season. Here are 3 takeaways from this past week.
Rhein-Neckar Löwen is back
Rhein-Neckar Löwen finished twelfth last season. Twelfth! That is incredible, but not in a good way. And far off those championship teams from 2015-17. But now something great might be brewing in Löwen again.
They have one of the best goalkeeper duos in the league with experienced Mikael Appelgren and young David Späth. That alone is very important for any team.
And they added not one but two great players during the off-season that so far has looked amazing for them. Sebastian Heymann has lifted their defense and proved to be vital with his power on offense. But the main man has been Ivan Martinovic. Great in the Bundesliga opener against THW Kiel and even better in the second win in a row against Bietigheim. Löwen is looking like a team that could very well compete for the top positions this season.
Pick Szeged is a real threat this season
Speaking of teams who are looking better this season than they have for a long time. Pick Szeged has won every game they have played in so far during the season. It’s one thing to defeat so-so teams in the Hungarian league but Szeged proved all doubters wrong when they took down SC Magdeburg in the Champions League earlier this week.
Maybe this new project with Swedes Michael Apelgren and Jonas Källman as the coaching duo was a genius choice by Szeged. And things will probably improve next season when Apelgren has more time to build his team. Szeged to the Final Four in the Champions League already this season? It could happen.
Vyakhireva is the signing of the season
Let’s be real, Brest Bretagne lacked something last season. If they had just added one piece they could have been a real contender for the Champions League title.
This season they signed Anna Vyakhireva who still probably is the best player in the world (Henny Reistad, I know) and so far it has made all the difference. Not a surprise, I know, but still worth mentioning.
The right back has looked unstoppable so far and with her in the team, Brest can beat anyone.