On Sunday (throw-off: 16:00 CET), Borussia Dortmund’s handball ladies will travel to face HC Dunărea Brăila in the second leg – a match which will decide whether BVB once again reach the EHF European League group stage. The team led by captain Alicia Stolle are expecting a particularly lively atmosphere in eastern Romania.

“We are looking forward to the game,” said Emma Olsson ahead of the match. “The fans are known for creating a great atmosphere and it will be very loud. But we have to try to use that to our advantage.” The Swedish circle-runner is optimistic that despite the 25-24 defeat in the first leg in Dortmund, they may still be able to make it through to the group stages. “One goal makes no difference. We will go into the game and give it our all, because we absolutely want to get into the group stage.”

Head coach Henk Groener offered up similar sentiments: “I told the girls right after the first leg that we were only at half-time. We are one goal behind, which is nothing at all in handball.” And the team are familiar with comeback stories in Europe. Last season, there was a last-second victory against Molde, and the fast and furious comeback win in the quarter-finals against Nantes cemented its place in the club’s history books.

There is an enormous yearning for more European nights at the club. To make that a reality, the BVB ladies will have to win by two clear goals. If BVB win by one goal, the tie would immediately go to a penalty shoot-out, with no extra time played.

In Romania, coach Groener will have to make do without some important players once again. Zoë Sprengers will miss the game alongside long-term injury absentees Dana Bleckmann and Lena Degenhardt. It is not yet known how long she will be out for.