Ditching the Bundesliga for the Delivery Room - HSV and the Absence of Bitter
As Mirko Großer (53) piloted the HSV handball team bus from Volkspark's parking lot towards the highway at 1 pm on Wednesday, a notable absence lingered. The seat of goalkeeper Johannes Bitter (41) remained casually empty.
It remains unclear whether Bitter will embark on the journey to the Liqui Moly Handbal Bundesliga clash at VfL Gummersbach (7 p.m., Dyn). Instead, 18-year-old U21 keeper Finn Luca Gründel took on the challenge. Recent events have resulted in a surge of unrest in the box, with calm and consistency notably absent.
Gummersbach or Delivery Room - HSV on the road without Bitter!
Gründel recently filled in for Alexander Pinski (19) when the U21 team faced off against MTV Lübeck (26:29). Pinski, who suffered a concussion after colliding with the ground, required another MRI on Wednesday.
Coach Torsten Jansen (46), currently missing Dani Baijens (25) due to a hand fracture and Dominik Axmann (24), is once again relying on his intuition when it comes to choosing goalkeepers. Former national keeper Jens Vortmann (36) is likely to start.
Post-defeat against the Rhein-Neckar Löwen, HSV's Jansen emphasized the necessity of playing in a meticulous and precise manner, aiming to avoid any avoidable mistakes against Gummersbach. Whether intentionally or not, with national player and captain Julian Köster (23) on their side, VfL Gummersbach mercilessly pounces on opponents' errors with their swift gameplay.
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The teams currently occupy the 11th and 9th positions, with HSV (12:18 points) and VfL Gummersbach (14:16 points) separated by merely two points and places.
HSV's Jacob Lassen (28): "We strive to maintain our style at VfL and ultimately achieve more victorious results this time around. If we're able to accomplish this, we can seize points from Gummersbach, which would be beneficial for our table position."
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Key Takeaways:
- Gründel replaces Bitter for HSV against Gummersbach due to an injury.
- Jansen relies on his instinct to select goalkeepers for Gummersbach despite the absence of key players.
- Former national keeper Vortmann is likely to start for VfL Gummersbach, managed by ex-world-class left winger Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson.
- After the loss to Rhein-Neckar Löwen, Jansen emphasizes the importance of controlled and precise play against Gummersbach.
- VfL Gummersbach, with Köster, punishes opponents' mistakes by playing a fast-paced game.
- Alternative sources such as no-sport-app and regio sport hamburg provide Handball news, including HSV's clash against Gummersbach.
- Local news outlets like Hamburg regional news and sport - lighthouse hamburg regularly cover HSV's Handball games and offer updates on their Bundesliga performance.
