“The cadets are a bit like Bayern”

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It’s almost as if he never left: Andy Schmid leads Kriens-Luzern to a qualifying victory in his first season after returning to Switzerland and is also personally involved as number 2 on the top scorers list. «Expectations for my return were of course high. So far we have even surpassed them,” says Schmid.

The only drawback: in the semi-final of the cup, he tore a muscle fiber in his calf. That is why he will enter the first quarterfinal against St. Otmar St. Gallen on Thursday. “Five more days off would do me good,” says the 39-year-old.

Cadets first championship contender

In the role of favorites for the title, he somehow does not see his team before the start of the playoffs. “That would be presumptuous. Schaffhausen is always the favourite. The cadets have that in their club DNA, a bit like Bayern. They have also proven that internationally with the quarter-finals in the European Cup.”

Schmid’s assessment received approval in Schaffhausen, as sporting director David Graubner says: “For us, the situation has not changed much compared to other years. We still expect to become champions. Other teams don’t have this kind of pressure.”

The defending champion from Munotstadt lost both duels in which Schmid was involved against Kriens. Only a limited benchmark for sports director Graubner: “Of course they have shown that their strengths can be enough to beat us. But that was early in the season, there were injured players, we had the double burden of the European Cup. Now the cards are reshuffled.”

Scout as a laughing third party?

As Handball Switzerland waits for a final series between Kriens and Schaffhausen, the Winterthur path could prove to be a major bummer. The 2021 champion has become more stable in its second year of turmoil. “In Viran Morros we have an experienced player who keeps the cover together. That was missing last season,” says scout coach Goran Cvetkovic.

He is not yet so preoccupied with the master’s question. “We have a hard touchstone in the quarterfinals with Wacker Thun. No team in Switzerland has as much title experience as Wacker. Our focus is therefore on this series.” And yet Cvetkovic calculates certain title chances: “If it weren’t for that, I would know better things to do with my time.” (cmu)

Source : Blick