Series champion Berlin is still hungry

“We want to defend all the titles we won last year,” said Berlin’s managing director Kaweh Niroomand before the start of the new season. The Berlin team has already completed step one of three, last Sunday the capital club secured the League Cup for the third time in a row. All that’s missing is another cup win – and the next Bundesliga title.

Confidence is high. “I’m positively surprised by our early form,” said captain Schott after the success in the League Cup: “The results in the preseason were not what we had imagined. But the coach said it well: we don’t want to be champions of the preseason, we want to be there when the titles are awarded.” His team has done well at the start, said the satisfied 30-year-old.

But while the favorite starts the season with confidence, the competition is wondering how they can stop their overwhelming opponent. The Berlin team’s first challenger will probably be VfB Friedrichshafen. The long-time rival was close to the title last season, leading the final series with 2-0 wins – only to end up empty-handed again.

This season, the Häflers have a new coach on the sidelines in Adam Swaczyna. The players are already feeling the fresh wind. “There are a few different impulses and a great deal of professionalism among the staff. That is very good for us,” said VfB captain Marcus Böhme.

The final loss from last year should provide motivation. “We are 110 percent ready to win a final,” said Böhme, who will open the Bundesliga with his team on Friday against ASV Dachau (8 p.m.). Their big rival Berlin will start on Saturday against the Helios Grizzlys Giesen (6 p.m./both Dyn).