Germany - VBL 1. Bundesliga 2025/26

    Quote from Gymnicus

    I have to admit, I really don't understand the plan with Franziska Heil. I watched VCO Münster's games yesterday and today, where she played. She plays middle blocker there, just like she did a week ago at the Bundespokal U18. If USC and the DVV now want to retrain her as an opposite, shouldn't they also ask that she can play that position everywhere?

    Also funny in the game, after I had gotten a little upset or surprised, Franziska Heil was then allowed to play opposite for VCO at least the first two sets. 😂😂

    Hamburg wihout a chance against Stralsund in the cup. So there will be a second division team in the quarterfinals. Congrats to Stralsund :flower:

    Quote from Idefix

    Hamburg wihout a chance against Stralsund in the cup. So there will be a second division team in the quarterfinals. Congrats to Stralsund :flower:

    This is a first time event: never ever a team below first league could reach the quarters in national cup. I expected a difficult game for Hamburg in Stralsund in the Northern derby, but this was even pretty one sided, the Wildcats Stralsund with their best season performance and Hamburg couldn't cope with the expectation to win, lacking a sufficently strong attack as we know from first league stats. This enabled Stralsund to defend a lot...


    Statistics: https://live.volleyball-bundesliga.de/2025-26/Women/8004.pdf


    As you can see, Hamburg was worse and really bad in attack (just 27%) absolutely, Stralsund better (36%!). Also more blockkills for the wildcats (7 to 5) and more aces ( seven more).

    Quote from StefanS

    This is a first time event: never ever a team below first league could reach the quarters in national cup.

    That's not quite right. It's happened at least twice. The last time a second-division team beat a first-division team was in the 2005/06 season. Back then, Bundesliga relegated team SCU Emlichheim defeated Bundesliga promoted team VC Muldenthal Grimma. The following year, second-division team SWE Erfurt received a bye in the first round because the actual Bundesliga promoted team, TSV Spandau, withdrew their team before the season started. Similar to Borken Potsdam case this year.

    Quote from Gymnicus

    That's not quite right. It's happened at least twice. The last time a second-division team beat a first-division team was in the 2005/06 season. Back then, Bundesliga relegated team SCU Emlichheim defeated Bundesliga promoted team VC Muldenthal Grimma. The following year, second-division team SWE Erfurt received a bye in the first round because the actual Bundesliga promoted team, TSV Spandau, withdrew their team before the season started. Similar to Borken Potsdam case this year.

    Okay this is longer away than I closely follow the league, but this was claimed too by the reporters in Stralsund, so I believed it in the first place. - And you can't count a bye, that is shear luck, not won by playing.

    More results from the cup: Stuttgart won of course at second league team Waldgirmes in three sets, also in three sets Münster won in Erfurt and Suhl against Flacht. Because Schwerin and Dresden will win tomorrow for sure at further second league locations, the only match open now is Wiesbaden vs. Aachen, which is currently 1:1 and may go to tie-break like before in the league.

    Quote from StefanS

    And you can't count a bye, that is shear luck, not won by playing.

    That's why I mentioned both cases and not just the one where the team get a bye. Nevertheless, a second division team also was in the quarter-finals that season, which contradicted your statement.


    Quote from StefanS

    this was claimed too by the reporters in Stralsund, so I believed it in the first place.

    That's not really surprising. It probably wasn't journalists who did the research, and if even Alexander Waibl couldn't recall such a case, you can't really blame the commentators.


    However, those who should remember are the two female Bundesliga coaches. Back then, Danuta Brinkmann coached Emlichheim and Mareike Hindriksen started her career there.

    And Aachen won in four sets in Wiesbaden and proceeded to the quarters too. Because Schwerin and Dresden will make it too tomorrow, expect the following eight teams in the draw tomorrow evening (19 o' clock on Dyn) for the quarters:


    Borken (bye), Stuttgart, Stralsund, Münster, Suhl, Aachen, Dresden and Schwerin.

    Cup Quarterfinals:


    Schwerin - Münster

    Borken - Suhl

    Dresden - Aachen

    Stralsund - Stuttgart


    Unless Münster or Aachen can achieve a surprise, the best four teams of the league should be in semifinal.


    Dresden had more trouble than expected against Emlichheim, they started with some subs but went six points down in 1st set so Waibl had to put all the starters in. Still Emlichheim showed strong resistance for two sets, only the 3rd was clear eventually.

    The hardest thing Stuttgart will suffer is the enormous distance (about the maximum possible in Germany, maybe 100 km more to Bodensee) to travel with bus to Stralsund: about 900 km. For comparison: for Schwerin this would have been just a fifth, about 180 km, and when Stuttgart plays Northern Italian teams in European Cups, these are about 350 to 500 km away.

    Quote from Matthias

    Unless Münster or Aachen can achieve a surprise, the best four teams of the league should be in semifinal.

    So Suhl is definitely better than Aachen and Münster in your eyes? Ok, seems possible.

    Quote from Gymnicus

    First, they need to find a date. The VBL was so brilliant and managed to schedule a double-header in beautiful Bavaria for the Stralsund women on the same weekend as the DVV quarter-finals. 😂😂

    They obviously didn't expect a win of Stralsund against Hamburg - but this was possible also before that match.

    WTF, now Stralsund has to play five games in nine days. The VBL is really outdoing itself.🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ I hope something changes. But the current plan for Stralsund is:

    • November 22nd, League away against Planegg-Krailling
    • November 23rd, League away against Dingolfing
    • November 26th, Cup home against Stuttgart
    • November 29th, League home against Dingolfing
    • November 30th, League home against Cologne
    Quote from Gymnicus

    WTF, now Stralsund has to play five games in nine days. The VBL is really outdoing itself.🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ I hope something changes. But the current plan for Stralsund is:

    • November 22nd, League away against Planegg-Krailling
    • November 23rd, League away against Dingolfing
    • November 26th, Cup home against Stuttgart
    • November 29th, League home against Dingolfing
    • November 30th, League home against Cologne

    OMG, that is completely crazy. No one can be serious about that.