While some teams are currently navigating their way through the qualification, others can already focus on their appearance in the group phase of the EHF European League Men 2021/22. We start our countdown series including articles on all 24 group phase teams with the defending champions, SC Magdeburg (GER).

An All-Danish goalkeeper duo, a top transfer for Denmark, the return of the forgotten son, and the hopes to be successful in four competitions. But also: a short and difficult preparation period due to the Olympic Games.

This is the current situation at SC Magdeburg. The German side has qualified for the EHF European League Men 2021/22 group phase as defending champions, but coach Bennet Wiegert knows that the way to another EHF Finals tournament, let alone to make the winners’ podium again, is extremely steep.

Main facts

• SC Magdeburg won the premiere of the EHF Finals in Mannheim in May, beating Füchse Berlin 28:25 in the final
• it was the club’s fifth title in three different EHF club competitions, after winning the EHF Cup three times (1999, 20011, 2007) and the Champions League once (2002)
• SCM start in their 23rd international season since the founding of the EHF in 1992
• two of the new arrivals are Danes – line player Magnus Saugstrup (from Aalborg) and goalkeeper Mike Jensen (from Balingen) – the two others played for Magdeburg before: internationals Philipp Weber (Germany) and Kay Smits (Netherlands)
• Croatian line player Zeljko Musa has returned to Zagreb and Danish goalkeeper Jannick Green will move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2022
• as European League winners, SC Magdeburg will compete at the IHF Super Globe in Saudi Arabia in October

Most important question: Are Magdeburg strong enough to go all the way again?

Looking at the potential opponents in the EHF European League season 2021/22, defending the trophy is possible though anything but easy. “This is definitely more than only ‘a little Champions League’, there are so many big names,” says coach Bennet Wiegert.

Like for all German teams, the burden of playing Bundesliga and an international group phase with 10 matches is hard, followed by an EHF EURO with many SC Magdeburg players likely away for weeks with their national teams.

Besides, SCM have to integrate four new arrivals and two key players, who will return after long-term injuries: left wing Matthias Musche (expected in January) and playmaker Gisli Kristjansson (maybe back in December). The squad seems to be wide enough, but the previous season proved that even a wide squad sometimes cannot prevent matches with just 12 to 14 players available.

Under the spotlight: Magnus Saugstrup

Even with forgotten son and German national team player Philipp Weber returning home from local rivals SC DHfK Leipzig, the biggest signing for the new season is Magnus Saugstrup. When SCM announced the transfer in autumn 2020, the Aalborg line player was making the headlines. First at his club, with which he sensationally made it to the EHF Champions League final against Barça in June, and also with the Danish national team, which he helped win gold at the World Championship in Egypt in January and silver at the Olympic Games in Japan in August.

“The hype about Magnus is huge, too huge. He left home for the first time, has to learn a new language and has to settle in the new club and understand our tactical system. We all shall give him some time, but then he can become a big star,” says coach Wiegert.

How they rate themselves

Bundesliga, German Cup, European League and IHF Super Globe: there are four trophies to win for SC Magdeburg. “It is our aim to remain in the race of all trophies until the very end, which also means the final tournament of the European League,” says coach Wiegert. “There are so many little things, which need to fit together like a puzzle to win a final tournament like we did in Mannheim in May. You need two top matches within 24 hours, you need luck, you need luck in the draws for the previous rounds and you need to have all players fit when it counts.”

For Magdeburg, no competition has priority over another, but coach Wiegert is happy that the team can start in the group phase of the European League instead of having to play the qualification rounds. “Many of our players were part of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, so the preparation is very short and difficult for us. There are so many top teams in the qualification that you can fail quite early. There are so many national champions, which are not part of the Champions League and which can definitely be something like stumble stones, and those we avoid being seeded for the group phase.”

Did you know?

Like father, like son: Ingolf Wiegert, father of the current coach (since 2016) and former SCM player Bennet, was player and coach at his home club, too. In the club’s glory days, Ingolf Wiegert was a key player: his biggest success was winning Olympic gold in Moscow in 1980.

What the numbers say

Only two clubs in European handball have won more trophies in EHF club competitions than SC Magdeburg: Barça with 12 trophies (9 CL/1 EHF Cup/2 CWC) and THW Kiel with eight (4/4/0). Winning the European League last season marked Magdeburg’s fifth trophy (1 CL/3 EHF Cup/1 ELM), like Ciudad Real (3/0/2) and SG Flensburg-Handewitt (1 CL/1 EHFC/2CWC/1CC).

Arrivals and departures

Arrivals: Magnus Saugstrup (Aalborg Håndbold/DEN), Mike Jensen (HBW Balingen-Weilstetten), Kay Smits (Team Tvis Holstebro), Philipp Weber (SC DHfK Leipzig)
Departures: Zeljko Musa (RK Zagreb), Christoph Steinert (HC Erlangen), Tobias Thulin (TVB Stuttgart), Justus Kluge (no club)

Past achievements

EHF Champions League:
Winners (1): 2001/02

EHF European League:
Winners (1): 2020/21

EHF Cup:
Winners (3): 1998/99, 2000/01, 2006/07

Other:
Champions Cup (forerunner of CL): Winners (2): 1977/78, 1980/81
EHF Champions Trophy: Winners (3): 1980/81, 2000/01, 2001/02

German league (11): 2001 (GDR league: 1970, 1977, 1980, 1981-85, 1988, 1991)
German cup (7): 1996, 2016 (GDR Cup: 1970, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1990)