Bietigheim back themselves to go all the way

SG BBM Bietigheim are eager to make the previous Champions League seasons forget as they are ready for their debut in the European League. Thanks to some top transfers, they even hope to go all the way to the EHF Finals, but first they have to stand the heat in arguably the strongest group.

Bietigheim were drawn into a tough group, with defending champions Nantes, last season’s semi-finalists Baia Mare, and Polish league winners Lubin.

Main facts

• after becoming German champions twice (2017 and 2019), Bietigheim are the current German cup winners
• top transfers include Dutch duo Kelly Dulfer and Inger Smits, while Hungarian Melinda Szikora is the new goalkeeper
• Bietigheim now have four Dutch players in their squad, including team captain Danick Snelder
• among those who left were goalkeepers Valentyna Salamakha and Emily Sando and German international Amelie Berger

Main question: Will Bietigheim survive the group phase?

The biggest success for Bietigheim at the European level was their run to the final of the EHF Cup 2016/17, when the competition didn’t have a group phase and they made it to the final against eventual champions Rostov.

In any other group, Bietigheim with their improved squad would be among the favourites, but now they will have to leave Nantes or Baia Mare behind them – either task being not easy.

Their strongest weapon will be the extremely experienced back court axis, combined with fast breaks. To win the top matches at home will be essential for the only Bundesliga side in the competition to proceed to the quarter-finals.

Under the spotlight: Kelly Dulfer

Kelly Dulfer was one of the key players for Borussia Dortmund as they finished top of the Bundesliga table twice - now she aims for the same goal with her new club. At the age of 27, the tall defensive specialist and back court shooter has been part of the Dutch national team’s major successes: World Championship gold in 2019, silver in the World Championship 2015 and EHF EURO 2016, as well as a regular name in the squad.

Until she transferred to Dortmund in 2019, she had mostly played in defence - including the award for the best defender at EHF EURO 2018 - but since then, she became an attacking expert too. Together with Inger Smits and Danick Snelder, she forms a well-rehearsed Dutch block in Bietigheim.

How they rate themselves

Despite facing tough opponents in the group phase, the ambitions are huge.

“We have big goals in the EHF European League. With our strong team, we definitely want to make it to the final tournament.

“We will play with the same passion and pride as we did in the four years before in the DELO EHF Champions League. Participation in international competitions is extremely important – for ourselves, our fans, sponsors and the entire region,” says club manager Gerit Winnen.

Danick Snelder is happy to be back on the international stage: “I am very excited about the next stage of the European League. After the first games against Tertnes, the international feeling is totally back. I believe in our chances to be among the favourites, but I also think the Danish and French clubs are always strong and can be estimated as favourites.”

Did you know?

Bietigheim’s two back court players Inger Smits and Xenia Smits are not sisters or relatives. Xenia Smits was born in Belgium but took German citizenship in 2014. Both of her sisters are also professional handball players.

Inger Smits is Dutch and her family is also handball mad. Her father Gino is former Dortmund coach and now coaches the German U17 girls, whom he steered to the EHF EURO silver medal this summer, her brother Kay plays for Magdeburg in the European League and is a Dutch national team player.

What the numbers say

Three goalkeepers from three countries arrived this year. Gabriela Moreschi is a Brazilian international and played in Norway, Romania and France before she joined Bietigheim. Melinda Szikora played six years for FTC, then joined Siofok and was a European League finalist, before she arrived at Bietigheim.

The youngster in the goalkeeper trio is Dutch Lieke van der Linden (20), who was more successful in beach handball than indoor handball before, as she was an U16 and U17 European champion in 2016 and 2017. Indoors, Borhave Bornse was her last club before she joined Bietigheim.

Arrivals and departures

Arrivals: Melinda Szikora (Siofok KC/HUN), Kelly Dulfer (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Inger Smits (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Jenny Behrend (VfL Oldenburg/GER), Veronika Malá (Paris 92/FRA), Gabriela Moreschi (Fleury Loiret HB/FRA), Lieke van der Linden (Borhave Bornse/NED)

Departures: Leonie Patorra (HSG Bad Wildungen Vipers/GER), Amelie Berger (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Kim Braun (Thüringer HC/GER), Anna Loerper (retired), Valentyna Salamakha (CS Gloria 2018 Bistrița-Năsăud/ROU), Emily Sando (Horsens HK/DEN), Nele Reimer (Sport-Union Neckarsulm/GER)

Past achievements

EHF European League Women participations (including 2021/22): 1

Other:

EHF Champions League: Play-offs (1): 2020/21, Main Round (1): 2017/18
EHF Cup: Runners-up (1): 2016/17; Group Phase (2): 2018/19, 2019/20

German league: 2 titles (2017, 2019)
German cup: 1 title (2021)