Matchday 28: Prelude for the cup semi-final in Lemgo, Machulla faces former club, Hamburg look to end Kiel streak

Friday, 10 April:

• For a long time, ThSV Eisenach looked on course for their first away win of the season at THW Kiel, but ultimately had to settle for a 30:30 draw – their third consecutive draw, which has helped them move further away from the relegation zone. With 19:35 points, they are now eight points clear of a relegation spot.
• The 32:35 defeat against SG Flensburg-Handewitt was not only their third consecutive home loss, but also the sixth straight defeat for TSV Hannover-Burgdorf. With 22:32 points, the “Recken” are now just three points ahead of Eisenach.
• Eisenach goalkeeper Matija Spikic ranks fifth in the league with 222 saves, while Hannover wing August Pedersen is fourth in the scoring charts with 166 goals.
• Eisenach have never beaten the Recken in all nine previous meetings – Hannover-Burgdorf have eight wins, plus one draw. The reverse fixture ended 32:30 for Hannover.

• Can MT Melsungen still secure a European Cup spot? After a 27:26 win away at TBV Lemgo Lippe, Roberto Parrondo’s side are now just three points behind sixth place. Melsungen have won three of their last four matches.
• The situation is very different for GWD Minden: the promoted side have been waiting for their fifth win of the season since 11 December, going 11 matches without a victory. During that time, they have recorded three draws, most recently losing narrowly 29:30 in Hamburg. With 12:42 points, they sit third from bottom, just one point above the first relegation place.
• The top scorers of both teams are close: Dainis Krištopāns (MT) has 110 goals, Ian Weber (GWD) has 101.
• The 30:27 win in the reverse fixture was Melsungen’s fourth consecutive victory over Minden; overall record: 18:7 in favour of MT.

Saturday, 11 April:

• After taking 5:1 points from previous matches, Rhein-Neckar Löwen lost 27:29 at HC Erlangen on Matchday 27, dropping important points in the race for European Cup places. With 31:23 points, they are now four points behind sixth place.
• SG Flensburg-Handewitt have won five of their last six matches and remain second after a 35:32 win at Hannover, seven points behind leaders Magdeburg and one point ahead of Berlin.
• Three Löwen players feature prominently in league stats: David Späth is second-best goalkeeper with 265 saves, Jannick Kohlbacher is fifth-best scorer with 166 goals (nine more than Flensburg’s Emil Jakobsen), and Haukur Thrastarson leads the assist chart with 149.
• Last season, Löwen won both encounters; in the reverse fixture this season, Flensburg claimed a 33:29 win – their 23rd against Löwen, who have 17 victories overall.

• The 39:30 derby win against Bergischer HC marked VfL Gummersbach’s ninth consecutive victory, consolidating fourth place with 39:13 points – and with a game in hand. Their rescheduled match in Leipzig takes place on 16 April.
• HSG Wetzlar remain second from bottom with 11:43 points, but reduced the gap to Minden to one point after a 31:31 draw with Stuttgart.
• Gummersbach’s top scorers are in a close race: Miro Schluroff (129 goals) and Julian Köster (126), though Wetzlar’s Philip Ahouansou leads them both with 134.
• Gummersbach won the reverse fixture 31:29 – their fifth win in the last seven meetings. Overall record: 30:17 in favour of VfL.

Sunday, 12 April:

• A save from goalkeeper Robin Haug secured Hamburg a 30:29 win over Minden. With three wins from their last five matches, they are now tenth with 23:31 points.
• THW Kiel picked up a fortunate point in a 30:30 draw against Eisenach, but have only one win from their last five matches – in the derby against Flensburg. They sit fifth with 37:17 points, already 13 points behind leaders Magdeburg.
• Both teams’ top scorers are in the league’s top 10: Nicolaj Jørgensen (Hamburg) with 164 goals, and Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu (Kiel) with 152. Kiel goalkeeper Andy Wolff ranks third with 233 saves.
• THW Kiel have not lost to Hamburg since 16 November 2010: in 18 duels since then there have been 17 Kiel wins (including 27:25 in the reverse fixture) and one draw. Overall record: 27:3 for Kiel.

• In the 31:31 draw in the reverse fixture on 20 September, HC Erlangen became the first team to take a point off SC Magdeburg this season. Only THW Kiel have managed the same since with a win and a draw.
• After six consecutive wins – including a 27:23 victory over Göppingen – Magdeburg remain comfortably on top with 50:4 points, seven ahead of Flensburg.
• After two previous defeats, Erlangen took a big step towards survival with a 29:27 win over Rhein-Neckar Löwen. They are 13th with 19:35 points, eight clear of relegation.
• Omar Ingi Magnusson is third in the scoring charts with 188 goals, while teammate Sergey Hernandez leads the goalkeeping stats with 266 saves. Erlangen’s top scorer Viggó Kristjánsson (137 goals) will join Flensburg latest in the 2027/28 season.
• Before the draw in the reverse fixture, Magdeburg had won eight consecutive matches against Erlangen since 2021. Overall record: 17:3 for Magdeburg.

• One week before their DHB Cup semi-final against Magdeburg, Bergischer HC are fighting for crucial league points in the relegation battle. After a 30:39 loss to Gummersbach, they remain 15th with 14:40 points, three above the drop zone.
• TVB Stuttgart, meanwhile, are in strong form: unbeaten in six matches (two wins, four draws), including a 31:31 draw with Wetzlar. They sit 12th with 21:33 points, ten clear of relegation.
• The league’s fourth-best goalkeeper Christopher Rudeck (229 saves) faces the second-best scorer Kai Häfner (216 goals).
• Stuttgart won the reverse fixture 35:28 and also lead the overall record 9:6.

• The two clubs meet again in the German Cup semi-final on 18 April; this match serves as a key test one week earlier. Lemgo won the reverse fixture in Berlin 34:33.
• TBV Lemgo Lippe have won only two of eight matches since the European Championship break, losing their last two home games to Göppingen (27:30) and Melsungen (26:27). They have dropped from third to sixth with 35:19 points.
• Füchse Berlin are in excellent form, winning 10 of their last 11 matches. Their only defeat came in a 33:35 loss to Magdeburg. They are third, eight points behind the leaders, and are the only team without a draw this season.
• With 244 goals, Mathias Gidsel leads the scoring charts by 28 goals. With seven matches remaining, he is still 80 goals short of Kyung-Shin Yoon’s all-time season record (324). Lemgo’s top scorer is Niels Versteijnen with 162 goals.
• In 40 Bundesliga matches against Lemgo, Berlin have won 27 times, compared to Lemgo’s 10 victories. Last season, Lemgo managed a home draw.