Country: Germany

Coach: Erlingur Richardsson

Key Players: Petr Stochl (Goalkeeper), Petar Nenadic (Centre Back), Kent Robin Tonnesen (Right Back), Steffen Fath (Left Back)

Qualification information: Winners of 2015 IHF Super Globe

History in Tournament: 1997-2014: DNQ, 2015: 1st

Overview:

2015 was a year that culminated a period of hard work within German club Fuchse Berlin, who earned a place at the 2015 IHF Super Globe thanks to their victory in the EHF Cup 2014/15 – their first major international trophy. 

Fuchse Berlin have been steadily on the rise for the last 10 years, earning promotion to the 1st Bundesliga in 2007, and qualifying for their debut VELUX EHF Champions League in 2011. Only a year later they made it to the FINAL4 event for the finals of the 2011/12 Champions League, where they ranked fourth. 

The ‘Foxes’ have not been able to repeat such a level of success in the Champions League, but after they won the EHF Cup title in 2015 the future began to look more promising. The team came to the event in Qatar as debutants, and after winning their opening game against Tunisia’s Club Africain, they defeated the winners of the 2015 Champions League FC Barcelona in the semi-final and overcame the runners-up of the same competition MVM Veszprem to claim the title. 

“I feel super,” said centre back Petar Nenadic after the final, won in extra time. “We won today – Barcelona and Veszprem, two finalists of the Champions League. So I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of myself and everybody.

“We are very happy, we fought for this, we come here with nothing to lose. We are super happy, we are heroes now!” 

As they entered the 2015 event as debutants, Nenadic is right there was little pressure on the team to perform – particularly in comparison with the heavyweight teams that consistently top the Champions League – but this year they travel to Doha as champions, and they therefore enter the court with a title to defend. 

There have been some alterations to the Berlin squad list since they raised the Super Globe trophy in 2015, with Swedish line player Jesper Nielsen a notable departure – though his absence is accounted for by the arrival of Germany back and 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Steffen Fath, and Croatia’s Kresima Kozina. 

The Foxes will begin their 2016 Super Globe against Qatari club Lekhwiya, for whom it is the first Super Globe. The winner will go on to face either Al Sadd or Sydney University in the semi-final. 

Fans can follow Fuchse Berlin on their website, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Schedule at the 2016 IHF Super Globe:  

5 September 2016, Duhail Sports Hall

Quarter-final: Fuchse Berlin vs Lekhwiya 17:00 local time