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National teams in focus: Eight Magdeburgers on the road

Felix Claar throws against Matej Mandic
In the club's internal duel: Felix Claar against Matej Mandic (Photo: Imago/Arvidson)

SC Magdeburg international: Eight players from coach Bennet Wiegert’s team were in action for their nations last week. Many will be seen again at the tournament in Germany after the qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup.

While part of the Magdeburg team prepared for the upcoming tasks with SCM and did not miss out on regeneration, others were on the road for their national colors.

As part of the third and final phase of the playoffs for the 2027 World Cup, goalkeeper Sergey Hernandez met Israel twice with Spain – the Iberians won the duel 68-56 on aggregate. Both associations had agreed in advance to play the games on neutral ground in cooperation with the Argentine Handball Federation. “I think we did it confidently – especially in the second game. I think in the end there were 16 players on the field for us and we all showed everything. But the most important thing is the qualification. That’s a very good feeling right now,” said the Magdeburg goalkeeper afterwards.

In addition, Manuel Zehnder and Nikola Portner competed with Switzerland against Italy. In the 32-29 first-leg win in Zurich, Manuel Zehnder scored five times, Nikola Portner contributed 15 saves. But the buffer was not enough. The return match a few days later went 38-31 to the Tricolore, who thus secured their ticket for the World Cup.

For the selected players, who have already qualified for the tournament with their nation, it was not about everything, but about sporting prestige. Sweden and Croatia met as they did at the last European Championship – and thus also Magdeburg’s Felix Claar, Oscar Bergendahl and Daniel Pettersson against Matej Mandic. Albin Lagergren had only traveled at short notice due to illness.

Even without the right back, the two teams delivered an exciting trial of strength. In Kristianstad it was 34-31 for the Three Crowns nation, in the revenge in Varazdin the Croatians were ahead and won 35-31. During the first game, there was also a special award: Felix Claar was named Sweden’s Player of the Year. The Magdeburg native received the honor for the second time after 2024, last year it was Albin Lagergren who received the award.

Magnus Saugstrup, meanwhile, played twice with Denmark against Germany. In the first game in Copenhagen, the pivot contributed a goal and won 36-28 with the Red and Whites. After the second leg in Cologne, the scoreboard finally reported a 29:31 from the German point of view – here the 29-year-old was rested like many other Danish top performers.

Meanwhile, Lukas Mertens had been given a break by national coach Alfred Gislason. Icelanders Gisli Kristjansson, Omar Ingi Magnusson and Elvar Örn Jonsson also stayed in Magdeburg and are concentrating on the final spurt of the season together with the rest of the team. Because on Thursday it continues in the GETEC Arena with an important game: At 8 p.m., the home game in the Daikin Handball Bundesliga against SG Flensburg-Handewitt will kick off.

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