Miscellaneous

Second division bottom club SV Union Velbert has drawn 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT as its opponent in the cup quarterfinals, landing itself a big win. In this interview, Union's sporting director Thomas Brosig talks about his team's underdog chances, Velbert's young players, and his dream headline for his club's big game.

Thomas Brosig, your SV Union Velbert, bottom of the second division, is challenging Champions League winner and big title favorite 1. FC Saarbrücken in the cup quarterfinals. Could there be a more classic “David versus Goliath” scenario?

We have our own “young Goliath” in our ranks in Wim Verdonschot. But we are definitely not the favorites! Anything other than a 0-3 result would be a huge surprise. Regardless of the outcome, we are already proud to have such a strong team visiting Velbert.

What was your first thought after the draw?

Fan Zhendong! Immediately afterwards, I had the headline “Timotius Köchling defeats world champion and Olympic champion Fan Zhendong in five hard-fought sets” in my head.

Saarbrücken's matches are in the international spotlight due to the signing of Olympic champion Fan Zhendong. Did you notice this during your preparations for the match?

In the first week after the draw, I spoke on the phone with Saarbrücken's sporting director Nicolas Barrois every day, trying to get the match scheduled for December when Fan would be back in Saarbrücken – unfortunately to no avail. But in the process, I naturally took a closer look at the situation and am thrilled by the hype that table tennis can generate.

Velbert reached the cup final once before in 2013. Was that semifinal the “game of games” for your club, or will history be rewritten against Saarbrücken's star ensemble?

2013 was definitely an absolute highlight. Our boss Michael Hinz still likes to talk about the game and that time! Monday's game is similar. It is definitely the biggest table tennis event in Velbert for us.

You are moving into a hall called the “Zitronenbunker” (lemon bunker) especially for the cup hit. What's the story behind the name?

At first, I didn't know either. The name came up frequently in discussions with the city of Velbert. The vocational college that owns the hall is lemon yellow in color—that's probably where the name comes from, which is well known to the people of Velbert.

What kind of atmosphere can Saarbrücken expect?

We always have someone there to operate the drum. What will be new is that table tennis enthusiasts from across the region will come together in a huge hall with stands for 710 spectators. I hope that everyone is interested in a sensation. But I also understand that many are coming to see world stars like Patrick Franziska and Darko Jorgic.

How important was your team's first win of the season in the second division, 6-1 against Oldenburger TB, for the mood in the team after five previous defeats?

The win was long overdue and, of course, it takes the pressure off for now. Wim confirmed his outstanding form, Anton Limonov and ‘Timi’ gained confidence and can now play even more relaxed.

Most recently, a Paralympic champion gave Saarbrücken a scare in the Champions League, and then in the TTBL, the underdogs of TTC OE Clarity Telefonie Systeme spoiled the number one title contender's jump to the top of the table. Velbert can send the newly crowned WTT Feeder winner Verdonschot and the Iranian “China terror” Benyamin Faraji into the box. Hand on heart: Couldn't something still happen for Velbert according to the “own laws of the cup”?

Cup surprises, which are quite common in soccer, are of course much rarer in table tennis. Players like Patrick and Darko are probably two or three levels above us. For Wim, who is in top form and probably Germany's “Most Wanted Player Number One,” maybe just one level above us. 'Benji' has shown that he can do it! With him, I'm sure Saarbrücken would have been a little bit, just a little bit, nervous. Unfortunately, however, he won't be able to play. Just last Sunday, I had a very good and pleasant conversation with his manager. Benyamin is currently still only 15 years old. On Tuesday, he has to be in Cluj, Romania, to play in the Youth World Championships. Playing in the cup beforehand would have been extremely stressful for the young boy. We then decided together that we didn't want to put him through that. As much as he would have liked to play himself, we tried everything. Hopefully, the spectators will respect that and support us even more loudly.

Verdonschot recently caused a stir once again with his tournament victory in Gdansk. Is the cup also a showcase for recommending oneself to TTBL clubs?

By now, everyone in German table tennis probably knows Wim. Not only because he is Germany's greatest hope, but also because he is an extremely likeable and down-to-earth guy. The match is of course a special one for all the players – for Wim, but especially for ‘Timi’ and Anton: if Patrick Franziska looses against Timotius Köchling on Monday, the whole of German table tennis will know about it on Tuesday.

What headline would you like to see about the cup match?

Table tennis spectacle in Velbert! Cup thriller causes excitement in sold-out hall!

Thank you very much for talking to us, Thomas Brosig.

The quarter-final match will take place on 24 November 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the Dreifach-Sporthalle in Velbert. Secure your tickets now and watch SV Union Velbert take on Champions League winners 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT live. Tickets are available at: https://www.reservix.de/tickets-sv-union-velbert-2011-ev-1fc-saarbruecken-tt-in-velbert-berufskolleg-niederberg-dreifach-sporthalle-am-24-11-2025/e2472417?ref=tischtennis-bundesliga-ttbl.ghost.io

Florian Manzke

Featured image above: Thomas Brosig (photo: Jörg Fuhrmann)