VfL Lübeck-Schwartau: Matej Klima changes to SC DHfK Leipzig
Matej Klima missed the World Cup in Egypt a year ago. Corona had slowed down the Czech national handball team. Now the goalscorer from VfL Lübeck-Schwartau wants to fulfill his World Cup dream and qualify with his boys for the title fights in January 2023 in Poland and Sweden. The decision will be made on Easter Sunday in Skopje, North Macedonia. A lot will depend on Klima, who was the best scorer with five goals at 24:24 in the first leg.
Contract until 2023: Leipzig wants to bring climate ahead of time
Klima will fulfill another dream by July 2023 at the latest. According to LN information, the 23-year-old, who came from Dukla Prague last year, will then switch to the Bundesliga for SC DHfK Leipzig. Klima is said to have already signed the contract and will be traveling to Leipzig for a medical check-up next week. Klima has already informed the players of this. Officially, however, he is keeping a low profile. The background: The Saxons want to get rid of the VfL goalscorer (123 hits/52 assists) in Lübeck in July 2022.
Also read: Everything about VfL Lübeck-Schwartau
Pankofer does not surprise interest in climate
DHfK Managing Director Karsten Günther did not want to comment on the LN request. VfL manager Daniel Pankofer does not want to confirm the change (yet). However, he is not surprised by the interest shown by Bundesliga clubs: “Matej has played a great season so far and was also one of the top performers at the European Championships. For him it would be the next step, as for Niels Versteijnen (on TBV Lemgo, ed.). Of course we would like to keep Matej, but he still has a contract with us until June 2023.” Pankofer said of an early change: “You can always talk about anything.” The Belarusian top club HC Brest had already expressed an interest in December. But Pankofer had rejected a change.
VfL signs young lion Blum
Even without the climate change, the team for the 2022/23 season is almost complete. VfL have now signed 18-year-old playmaker Matthis Blum from Rhein-Neckar Löwen. The junior national player, who is being courted by well-known clubs, switched from Bayer Dormagen to the young lions last year, plays in the U23s in the 3rd league and is currently also with the A youth for the German championship. “We’ve had Matthis on our list for a long time. He’s a classic playmaker, intelligent with a good eye and shot throw, quite a long way for his age,” praises Pankofer. Blum is looking forward to “Lübeck, the environment and many young players”. He already knows the new VfL coach David Röhrig from his youth in Dormagen and is convinced of his “playing philosophy”.
VfL has 19 players under contract
Season 2022/23: This is what the VfL team looks like
Goalkeeper: Dennis Klockmann, Nils Conrad, (Blaz Voncina)
Left Wing: Jan-Eric Speckmann (newcomer from TuS N-Lübbecke), Fynn Gonschor, Mattis Potratz
Back room left: Vojtech Patzel (new signing from Banik Karvina), Mex Raguse, Ole Hagedorn (second game right for VfL Horneburg)
Center back: Matej Klima (possibly to Leipzig), Matthis Blum (newcomer from the Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Janik Schrader, Melf Hagen
back room right: Jasper Bruhn
Right Wing: Lennart Leitz (newcomer from Dormagen), Finn Kretschmer
Circle: Leon Ciudad Benitez (newcomer from THW Kiel), Carl Löfström, Paul Skorupa
Defense: Martin Waschul
Mizumachi interlude in Lübeck ends in June
It is also clear that the Lübeck interlude of the Japanese Kotaro Mizumachi ends in June. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” says Pankofer, “but unfortunately Kotaro couldn’t show what he’s made of.” It’s still unclear where Mizumachi’s journey will lead. His wish: “I would like to continue playing handball in Europe.”
By Jens Pumpkin
Reference-www.ln-online.de