Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2024/25

I expect not only Segura, but also Rivers and Koskelo retiring after this season, Kim Renkema was an important personal contact for all three.

Another disaster for Stuttgart, throwing away the match (unused three consecutive setpoints at 21-24 in third set, losing 27-25) without winning even a point in Suhl, despite being aware that it is not easy to play in Suhl, we fans couldn't help them out this time. Rivers was unused, but silver MVP Pauline Martin (22 points, 50% attack quote) did well as opposite, it was mainly missing matchplay and poor blocking by Stuttgart, which caused the defeat alongside a strong effort of the "wolves" of Suhl. If you purge numbers (Dresden has one match less), now Dresden is on top, very closely followed by Schwerin, still not far behind Stuttgart at third place, but Stuttgart will host Dresden already on Thursday and can regain second spot in table. Schwerin should win similar easy in Potsdam as Dresden at home due to missing Cholet and defend the table lead, if Stuttgart wins at least.

Very interesting is fight for fourth place now in the table: due to point subtraction (3) by VBL and yesterdays results Suhl is now just 2 points behind Potsdam, and has a massive advantage in the week coming, because Schwerin is in Potsdam clear cut favorite, while Suhl expects easy living in Thuringian derby in Erfurt. So Suhl has a big chance, to grab fourth place from Potsdam now, a duel in playoffs between Suhl (than 4.?) against Potsdam (5.?) is highly likely, even if the order changes again, because they are far behind the top three but also both well ahead of sixth (Wiesbaden).

If the top teams were to repeat the results from the previous encounter against the same teams in the remaining matches:

• Dresden would end up with 60 points (they previously lost 2:3 at Stuttgart, won 3:2 at Schwerin and 3:0 against Suhl),

• Stuttgart with 59 points (they won 3:0 against Potsdam and 3:2 against Dresden)
• Schwerin would end up with 58 points (if they repeat the 3:0 win @Potsdam and the 2:3 losses vs Dresden and @Suhl)

We'll know more after the mid-week games this week (Potsdam-Schwerin on Wednesday, Stuttgart-Dresden on Thursday)

Quote from Sebastian

Stuttgarter Zeitung reports that Stuttgart and Renkema are discussing terminating her contract early. She would then not be involved in selecting the team for the next season.

According to the paper the contract has now been terminated. Renkema is quoted saying she "cannot comment on this issue anymore". The paper speculates that there is a confidentiality agreement.

https://www.stuttgarter-zeitun…41-a1b2-c4de7ca699fb.html (paywall)

The club has confirmed this in an extremely short statement.

https://www.stuttgarts-schoens…ich-auf-eine-freistellung

That's not how you end such a long and successful era in my opinion. Why was it not possible to write a short recap of that period?

Quote from Sebastian

The club has confirmed this in an extremely short statement.

https://www.stuttgarts-schoens…ich-auf-eine-freistellung

That's not how you end such a long and successful era in my opinion. Why was it not possible to write a short recap of that period?

Wow...and even calling her Miss Ozvald-Renkema.

Quote from Matthias

I'm certainly not a fan of hers, but seeing her being treated like this makes me feel sorry for her and wonder what's been going on behind closed doors

I agree with you, but always Stuttgart was a Team that were solving their problems in the press and she had very big role on this to share the news in the press.

So don’t feel so sorry for her.

Expected results with the respective consequences: by favorite wins Suhl overtook Potsdam (defeated by Schwerin) and Wiesbaden increased the gap to the NRW teams winning against Aachen. Schwerin is now definitely still on the top of the table, the match today, Stuttgart hosting Dresden, has mostly relevance for the gaps to the both teams after them.

Updated projection

• Stuttgart would go to 60 points if they repeat the results from the previous round (i.e. win 3:1 or 3:0 in the remaining games, they only play Potsdam from the top 5)
• Dresden would end up with 59 points (they previously won 3:2 at Schwerin and 3:0 against Suhl)
• Schwerin would end up with 58 points (if they repeat the 2:3 losses vs Dresden and @Suhl)

If Stuttgart win out they will end up with the most wins so they would be ahead in case of equal number of points.

Lara Darowski from Erfurt to Potsdam. So they found their replacement for Cholet.

Since Dresden hasn't listed a new player yet and Theresa Ziegenbalg was part of the team yesterday, I guess they haven't found a replacement for Zatkovic and will use Kyparissi as OPP for the rest of the season.

Lea Feistritzer is a part of Erfurt now. For a lot of reasons, German teenage players get more than ever chances.

What's the situation for Schut and Holthaus tomorrow?

Quote from Matthias

Additional info: Darowski would have left Erfurt after the season anyway, so now they could even get a transfer fee for her from Potsdam.

Erfurt also announced that they won't renew the contract of Mateusz Zarczynski after this season. Lea Feistritzer will play with double license both for Erfurt and for Stuttgart's 2nd league team, if Erfurt are satisfied with her she'll get a full contract for next season.

I have seen shortly ago Freistritzer in a match here in Stuttgart with the federal base team in second league South, she is a pretty aggressive outside hitter and was MVP afterwards, despite Leilani Slacanin and Marie Steinhilber (both had some playing time in Stuttgarts first league team too) were also in the match, doing their first league like things.

Stuttgart has signed Eleanor Holthaus (USA) from Potsdam for next season, it seems (not yet confirmed: not annoying Potsdam?).

Why are they communicating these things so early??