Linz AG Froschberg entering the new season in the European Champions League Women after reaching the semifinal last season. The League was interrupted by COVID 19 Pandemic and they finished among top four clubs with KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg TTC Berlin Eastside and TT Saint Quentinois.
Linz AG Froschberg will start to play from the Group stage after the opening round. Austria’s club is in the group with UCAM Cartagena TM.
“Covid 19 changes a lot for us in our hall in LINZ/Lissfeld the Austrian National Team could practice again already from middle of April but all international players of our clubs were “evacuated” to their various home addresses from middle of March. Now slowly the daily routine is coming back the Covid 19 restrictions are now close to zero so we can start this weekend with the Austrian Cup event ” announced Manager Robert RENNER.
Times changes and club official are trying to follow the changes.
“We are all very happy to be able to compete again. The Virus had and will have permanent impact on table tennis same like for most of the other sports. I had an interesting meeting with the sport investor entrepreneur and former Eurosport Director for Digital Strategy Arnaud SIMON who thinks that only the forward thinking sports can come back after the crisis as strong or even stronger than before. We are seeing the impact on European Clubs already in the number of players that knocked on our door before this season. “
Club managed to make very strong line up.
“Our lineup for Champions League is: Sofia POLCANOVA LIU Jia Bernadette SZÖCS Margarita PESOTSKA Yui HAMAMOTO Karo MISCHEK Margarita BALTUSHITE. That`s a kind of European dream team that makes only one goal reasonable. We also hope for a season with no injuries no Visa problems and no other catastrophes like global pandemics or so.”
And most important..
“First of all it`s important for us to have a competition to come back to something like normal. I think a new system/format could be necessary and until we know what to do and how – we should keep it like Woody Allen: Whatever works!”