"17 Players Away, 1 Spot Gone" - Romero slams Rhein-Neckar Löwen following TVB Stuttgart's survival
Game Player Levels Harsh Allegations Against Development Team
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy link Stuttgart secured its place in the Handball-Bundesliga thanks to an unexpected win against a top team. Iker Romero, coach of the relegated SG BBM Bietigheim, however, finds the circumstances less than ideal and attributes their defeat to a trip to Mallorca.
Following the team's relegation, Romero expressed strong criticism towards the Rhein-Neckar Löwen. During a conversation with Dyn, he pointed a finger at 17 Löwen players who had taken a team trip to Mallorca during a match-free weekend in the season finale. "I will never forget that," Romero stated, referring to his team.
During the game that followed, the Löwen suffered a dismal 26:33 defeat against Bietigheim's relegation rival TVB Stuttgart. Stuttgart eventually collected the two crucial points, bringing their total to 18, while Bietigheim ended with only 17 points. The outsiders were thus forced to return to the 2nd league after only one year.
With a heart full of anger, Romero continued, "If a team goes to Mallorca before the Stuttgart game, the Rhein-Neckar Löwen, that's not fair." He praised the fighting spirit of his own team and hinted at possible consequences for the Löwen, stating, "My guys are flying to Mallorca tomorrow. They have a heart of gold."
Subsequently, Romero targeted the responsible individuals at the Mannheimers, stating, "Without respect, no respect." He promised, "That always comes back."
In response, sports director Uwe Gensheimer of the Löwen refrained from any immediate comments, stating, "I heard about it, yes. I had already been in contact with Iker. That's all I have to say about it for now."
Source: ntv.de, tsi/dpa
- Handball
- Relegation battle
[1] Enrichment data suggests that there may be additional context and details surrounding Romero's allegations and criticisms, though they are not explicitly stated in the current information. Further research may uncover more information on this matter.
"The relegation play in Handball-Bundesliga saw the Rhein-Neckar Löwen suffer a shocking loss to TVB Stuttgart, a team that Romero, coach of the relegated SG BBM Bietigheim, accused of prioritizing a team trip to Mallorca over the crucial match."
"Despite their defeat, Romero expressed displeasure about the Löwen's choice to take a team trip to Mallorca, stating it was an unfair advantage in the relegation battle, and hinted at potential consequences for the team."
