Foxes star out

Ouch! Top handball player now has to go under the knife

Raul Santos has got it.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The BT Füchse handball team continue to lead the HLA table after a strong 28:26 win against the Fivers from Margareten. So much, so good from the Styrians' point of view. In terms of injuries, however, the team from Upper Styria did not have a good post at the "Krone" visit.

Ice cold! There is no better way to describe the BT Füchse handball team yesterday. The team from Upper Styria defeated the Fivers from Vienna 28:26 to remain top of the HLA table. Bravo! This team demonstrably has nerves of steel.

Cartilage damage!
The conditions for the Foxes were not at all rosy before the game: the current squad resembled a military hospital due to the numerous injuries. Goalie Urh Brana (torn muscle fiber), Thomas Nenadic (metacarpal injury), Adel Rastoder (ankle) and Thomas Kuhn (illness) were acutely absent - the "permanently injured" Thomas Tremmel and Julian Schiffleitner anyway. And then the Upper Styrians were also missing their top player: Raul Santos. The former international was only in the stands and will have to undergo cartilage surgery at the end of the month. Santos will therefore miss the entire season for the Foxes. Bad news for the Teras squad. "I have pain in my knee, the operation is unavoidable," sighed the 32-year-old on the sidelines of the game.

In dad's footsteps
And yet there was no moaning, no burying his head in the sand. On the contrary. The Foxes were also clever yesterday - as they have been so often this season. And one player stood out: goalkeeper youngster Julian Mitterdorfer. The son of Bruck goalkeeping legend Klaus, who was admittedly mighty proud on the sidelines, saved numerous balls that were almost impossible to stop, especially in the first half, brought the team around captain Breg (who played despite toe pain) back into the game and was the guarantor for the victory against the Fivers. 

"We knew that the squad was tight and we had to hold our own," said the goalkeeper after the win. "And that's what we did." Especially him. His secret recipe? "I had dinner with my mom before the game. That certainly helped. Thanks, mom!" grinned the "Man of the Match".