The Borussia Dortmund women’s handball team are off to Russia at the weekend: the Black & Yellows are away to current Group A table-toppers Rostov-on-Don in the EHF Champions League on Saturday (throw-off at 16:00 CET).
Since André Fuhr’s team are on a tight schedule given their weekly commitments in two competitions – the Champions League and the Bundesliga – the Black & Yellows will keep their trip to Russia as short as possible. The BVB squad will leave Dortmund airport for Russia on Saturday morning at 6:00 CET and will return home directly after the match.
“We will land at Paderborn airport at around 4:00 CET on Sunday morning, so we can use Sunday as a regeneration day,” explained Fuhr, who is already thinking ahead to the derby against TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Bundesliga next Wednesday evening (throw-off at 19:30 CET).
The task this weekend in Russia will not be easy, not only on account of the travel involved. “Rostov are physically very strong, they play very deep and are very robust in defence with some big players. We have to find solutions for that,” said the BVB coach of the opposition, who in their four Champions League games to date have only suffered defeat once – to FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria on Matchday 3 (20-19).
As a result, the Russians currently top Group A with six points on the board. The Black & Yellows, who have five points, are narrowly behind them in fourth place.
“On the personnel front, nothing has changed compared to the Bundesliga match in Bensheim on Wednesday,” said Fuhr. This means that Tessa van Zijl (bone oedema in ankle) is still unavailable in addition to the long-term injury absentees. “In her case, it’s going to take some time,” said Fuhr, who wants his team to deliver another good Champions League display in Russia. “In Rostov, we’re up against another well-known team with players like defensive specialist Eduarda Amorim, Anna Sen and right winger Iuliia Managarova. We have to ensure we give a good account of ourselves.”
The Champions League match against Rostov-on-Don will kick off on Saturday at 16:00 CET at the Rostov-on-Don Palace of Sports. The match will be streamed live on EHFTV.
Source: BVB
