Expected opening win for the Zebras?
The broadcasting rights make it possible – or else they are responsible for the fact that the first matchday of the Handball Bundesliga is already completely pieced together. In addition, THW Kiel played Magdeburg in the DHB Supercup one day before the official start of the new season. So the Zebras will play their first game of the season on Sunday in the Wunderino Arena against TVB Stuttgart.
The conditions before this duel could not be clearer. THW Kiel is one of the best handball teams in the world and strives to win the German championship as well as the national cup and the Champions League. From there, there are only a few games in which Filip Jicha’s team is not favoured.
TVB Stuttgart, on the other hand, will probably only be fighting for sporting survival in the top flight again this season. After a major upheaval, Roi Sanchez’s team must first find its feet. For this reason alone, the forecast on this first matchday between THW Kiel and Stuttgart must go very clearly to a home victory.
As a rule, the Swabians concede hefty defeats against the Zebras, so that in the duel between THW Kiel and Stuttgart, a tip on a handicap victory (-7.5) for the hosts should not be exaggerated.
THW Kiel – Statistics & current form
After SC Magdeburg dethroned the Zebras last season to become German champions, the Schleswig-Holstein side’s primary target this season is probably more at national level. Becoming champions in arguably the best league in the world is an extremely big mark of quality that the Kielers would like to put on their banner again.
First title bagged
The form could hardly be better. The Zebras already proved their class in preparation at a tournament in Veszprem. They first won 35:33 against Vive Kielce before being beaten by Veszprem in the final. However, the Kielers showed against world-class teams that they are already back to their best.
On Wednesday, the first competitive match of the season was already on the agenda. The Supercup was played in Düsseldorf against champions Magdeburg. The Zebras kept the upper hand in a racy game and won 36:33 in the end. Nikola Bilyk was particularly impressive with eight goals. World handballer Niklas Landin was also very strong in the Kiel goalkeeper’s box.
Coach Filip Jicha will have to wait a little longer for the comeback of convalescents Hendrik Pekeler and Sander Sagosen. Both cannot be replaced 1:1, but in total the Kielers manage to compensate for the absence of the two world-class players, and from that point of view this is also a point, which is why we only look at the odds on Sunday between THW Kiel and Stuttgart that have something to do with a home win.
Predicted line-up of THW Kiel:
N. Landin, Mrkva – Bilyk, Dahmke, Duvnjak, Ehrig, Ekberg, M. Landin, Johansson, Överby, Reinkind, Schwormstede, Wallinius, Weinhold, Wiencek, Zarabec – Coach: Jicha
Last matches played by THW Kiel:
Champions League Final Stage
19/06/2022 – THW Kiel 37 – 35 Veszprem
18/06/2022 – THW Kiel 30 – 34 Barcelona
Bundesliga
12/06/2022 – THW Kiel 42 – 35 FA Göppingen
08/06/2022 – Rhein-Neckar-Löwen 26 – 33 THW Kiel
05/06/2022 – THW Kiel 29 – 22 HSV Hamburg
Stuttgart – statistics & current form
In their eighth year, the Bitterfeld side are in the mix in the Bundesliga this season. The TVB bosses make it clear that it is time to take the next step. A place in the secure midfield, preferably in the single-digit range, has been set as the goal. To achieve this, the budget of the Stuttgart team was once again significantly increased and very well-known players could be lured to the TVB.
Stuttgart in upheaval
The best-known newcomer is certainly the long-time national goalkeeper Silvio Heinevetter, who should provide stability with his experience. In addition, Daniel Fernandez and Jorge Serrano Villalobos are two compatriots of coach Roi Sanchez from the Spanish league. The king of transfers, however, is Oscar Bergendahl, who won the European Championship with Sweden and was named the best defensive player of the tournament.
Sunday will show whether the Swabians have already grown into a team. Experience shows that it takes some time for a change to take place. The duel in Kiel, however, is the right way to determine where they stand at the start of the season, because Stuttgart have nothing to lose and perhaps they will be able to surprise with a new formation.
In the preparation, there were six victories in seven games, whereby the Kadetten from Schaffhausen as Swiss champions were probably the toughest opponent. The dress rehearsal against Pick Szeged had to be cancelled because of weather-related flooding problems in Hungary. In general, therefore, the preparation does not say too much about the form of the Bitterfeld team. This also means that we are still predicting a clear home win in the duel THW Kiel vs Stuttgart.
Predicted line-up of Stuttgart:
Heinevetter, Vujovic – Häfner, Serrano Villalobos, Fernandez, Hanusz, Lönn, Röthlisberger, Nicolaus, Forstbauer, Runarsson, Zieker, Müller, Pfafftheicher, Bergendahl, Sliskovic – Coach: Sanchez
Last matches played by Stuttgart:
Bundesliga
12/06/2022 – TVB 1898 Stuttgart 28 – 25 MT Melsungen
09/06/2022 – HSV Hamburg 27 – 32 TVB 1898 Stuttgart
02/06/2022 – TVB 1898 Stuttgart 29 – 31 TuS-N-Lübbecke
26/05/2022 – TVB 1898 Stuttgart 26 – 28 SG Flensburg-Handewitt
15/05/2022 – TBV Lemgo 33 – 30 TVB 1898 Stuttgart
THW Kiel – Stuttgart Direct comparison / H2H balance
For seven years THW Kiel and TVB Stuttgart have played together in the German Bundesliga. This results in 14 matches. In addition, this encounter took place once in the DHB Cup. Of the total of 15 duels, the Bitterfeld team has won exactly zero times and not drawn one. The Zebras therefore have a flawless record against the Swabians.
It is not uncommon for the Stuttgart team to lose to the record champions by a double-digit goal difference. This was also the case in the last encounter at the Porsche Arena in February this year. The Kielers took a clear 42:29 away victory. Patrik Wiencek alone was successful nine times in this declassification.
THW Kiel – Stuttgart Tip
The Stuttgart side have now established themselves in the German top flight, but that doesn’t mean they are on a par with THW Kiel. The Swabians will first try to get the points they need to stay in the league. In doing so, they will not be so presumptuous as to think that they will get the first points on Sunday in the Wunderino Arena.
THW has already shown before the season that the championship can only be won by the Zebras this season. In the DHB Supercup, there was a well-deserved 36:33 victory against the champions from Magdeburg.
We also think it is conceivable that more than 61.5 goals will be scored, although we expect the majority from the hosts. The team from Schleswig-Holstein has won all 15 duels against the Bitterfelders. We assume that the slate will remain white in this respect. We have decided to play the betting odds on a handicap win (-7.5) for the Zebras between THW Kiel and Stuttgart.
