Handball ladies at training camp in Denmark | OneFootball

Less than four weeks before the 2022/23 Bundesliga season gets underway on 10 September, the Borussia Dortmund handball ladies are stepping up their training in pre-season. At the one-week training camp in Denmark, head coach André Fuhr is placing a particular emphasis on improving defensive work.

"We have twelve new signings, so we still have to get to know each other and learn the automatic movements," said Fuhr half-way through the training camp. Wednesday evening will see the first friendly during the training camp in Viborg, before BVB play against Sonderjyske on Thursday afternoon. The ladies will then take the bus back to Dortmund. The match against European League participants Viborg HK in particular is considered to be the first important test.

The BVB women are in southern Denmark, just 60 kilometres from the border with Germany. According to André Fuhr, the training conditions are good. The players are accommodated in bungalows in groups of four. "This week is really important for us. More than half the squad is new, we have to get to know each other, not only in training, but also as people," said Fuhr, who has two training sessions on the agenda every day, before meetings, video analyses and community activities in the evening: "The new signings in particular still need time, and we are going step by step."

Fuhr is happy with the progress. "We have worked well in the training, we deepened our connection with each other," explained the head coach, who travelled to Denmark with the entire squad. Injured players Sarah Garovic, Amelie Berger, Madita Kohorst, Emma Olsson and Anastasiya Sivukha are also there. The loss of Sarah Garovic and Anastasiya Sivukha in particular, as well as the latest ligament tear suffered by the Swede Emma Olsson, are tough to take. Fuhr has to set up a completely new inside unit in defence in Denmark.

But the coach also has positive news to report from the training camp. Serbia international Garovic is likely to overcome her muscle injury in good time, and Amelie Berger is also making great progress. And the Dutch returnee Harma van Kreij has recovered from her thumb injury to such an extent that she can be fully back in training and play in both friendlies.