The draw for the DHB-Pokal round of 16 took place on Wednesday evening during the opening match of the new Handball Bundesliga season between double-winners SG BBM Bietigheim and promoted outfit HSV Solingen-Gräfrath. The Borussia ladies will play host to Bayer Leverkusen on the weekend of 30 September to 1 October.

Finally a home game again, that is the universal view at Borussia Dortmund. A few years have already passed since the last time the BVB women's handballers played in front of their own fans in the DHB-Pokal. On 8 January 2020, they beat SG BBM Bietigheim by a 29-27 scoreline in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Sporthalle Wellinghofen that was full to the brim.

The round of 16 ties will be played on the weekend from 30 September to 1 October, with Henk Groener's team set to go up against Bayer Leverkusen. National team coach Markus Gaugisch, who had been invited to conduct the draw, spoke of a "close match", while the BVB management were particularly delighted to be playing a game in their own hall.

"It's great that we're able to play at home," said coach Henk Groener. "I'm sure that some spectators from Leverkusen will come to Dortmund too. There was of course a very big chance that we would play against a top-flight team. It will be a very important game for us, we absolutely want to reach the Final Four."

Andreas Kuno is also satisfied all in all. "We would of course have loved to play against a second-division team, but all things considered it went well because we have a home game and don't have to travel far again. Leverkusen have a young and very talented team who have strengthened very well with Annika Ingenpaß in the pivot role. But it's down to us whether we beat them or not."