Europe for Gummersbach
Kösters emergency surgery follows the next deep blow
Kösters emergency surgery follows the next deep blow
02.04.2025, 8:34 a.m.
First the worries about captain Julian Köster, now in the European League: VfL Gummersbach is experiencing devastating days. Bundesliga competitor MT Melsungen turns the duel to move into the quarter-finals.
VfL Gummersbach missed the leap to the quarter -finals of the European League. In the German-German duel of the handball Bundesliga clubs, the MT Melsungen prevailed in an intensive playoff second leg with 29:25 (14:13). That was enough after the first leg loss with 29:26 (15:13) to keep the upper hand.
For Gummersbach it is the second bad news after the end of captain Julian Köster. This had had to undergo emergency surgery because of an “acute infection”. The 25-year-old international will be missing for several weeks. A small wound had infected. “I am glad that our doctors recognized and treated the infection so quickly. Something like this can quickly go in a different direction,” said VfL coach Gudjon Valur Sigurdsson. He was “surprised and shocked what can become of a small wound”.
Without Köster, Gummersbach had to travel to Melsungen for the second leg. They got off to a better start in the game, but four goals in succession turned the sheet for Melsungen. However, the MT lacked the pace in the bound attack game. In addition, Gummersbach’s Croatian national goalkeeper Dominik Kuzmanovic prevented numerous good opportunities. So the VfL always stayed tuned.
National player Kastening is the best thrower
Around 15 minutes before the end, the strong Melsunger defensive fruits and the hosts were able to get some calm (22:19). Spielmacher Erik Balenciaga repeatedly attracted and set accents in this phase. Seven minutes before the end, the MT was for the first time at 27:23 with one leg in the quarter -finals, which it finally reached.
National player Timo Kastening convinced with seven goals. Ole Pregler (6) met most frequently for Gummersbach. The Melsungers Ian Barrufet (36.) After a foul and Rogero Moraes (59th) because of his third time penalty, each received the red card in the competitive game.
Melsungen is in a European quarter -finals for the third time in club history. There the team of coach Roberto Garrondo now meets the Basque club Bidasoa Irun. The THW Kiel and SG Flensburg-Handewitt were already qualified for the quarter-finals. Kiel has to go against Limoges HB, Flensburg meets Gog Gudme.
