AEverything would have been pretty much perfect if it hadn’t been for this injury. But although Robin Benzing tore a meniscus during his fifth appearance for Atlético Peñarol Montevideo in January, the former captain of the German national basketball team is satisfied with his three and a half months in Uruguay.
In November 2022, the now 34-year-old moved to South America. This was a surprising decision for many observers of the scene. “It was a very good offer, the best I’ve gotten,” says Benzing. In Europe, there were only a few inquiries, and they weren’t very lucrative. “My non-participation in the European Championship did not help me. As a result, it was wrongly rumored that I was not fit.”
But coach Pablo Lopez, who follows European basketball closely and has always kept an eye on Benzing, really wanted him. Now he is one of four foreigners at Peñarol, three of whom are allowed to play in the Uruguayan league. In the South American Champions League, however, all legionnaires are eligible to compete with the top teams from Argentina or Brazil.
take throws and score
In this competition, the team was eliminated on March 11 in the quarterfinals against the big favorite Franca. For Benzing, the two duels with the Brazilians were only games two and three after his injury, although he himself was surprised at how well things went for him after the several-week break due to knee arthroscopy. The winger played for many minutes and slipped into his familiar role of scorer. “As a foreigner,” he says, “you’re expected to take shots and score.”
After being eliminated from international competition, the full focus is now on the play-offs – or in the case of Peñarol, first of all on the so-called play-ins, which the team has to go through despite their quality because they already had five defeats before the start of the season account have been booked. The reason for this was a fan throwing a bottle in the 2022 final series. In the play-in series, Benzing and his team lead 2-1 against Club Atlético Aguada. This Friday they could qualify for the play-off quarterfinals with a win.
The style of play in Uruguay differs dramatically from European basketball. In contrast to their Brazilian neighbors, the players from Uruguay are rather small, but play with a lot of heart and commitment. The game is freer, less organized and less tactically shaped. There is a strong focus on speed and individual strengths. The referees often apply a generous interpretation of the rules. “It’s a bit of a wild hack here,” says Benzing with a grin. He attests his team “lower Bundesliga level”. Due to the injury and the open end of the season, it is still too early for a sporting balance sheet.
“A beautiful lifestyle”
In the private sector, however, his conclusion is completely positive. The wife and daughter arrived in Montevideo just before Christmas and all family members are enjoying the experience and the South American summer. The way to the sea is five minutes. “It’s just a nice attitude towards life, we like it here,” says Benzing. Nevertheless, in all likelihood it will remain a short interlude. Originally, the 2.10 meter man could imagine playing longer in South America, where experienced foreigners are extremely in demand.
The two Americans at Atlético Peñarol are 36 and 37 years old. In the meantime, he has given up the idea of recommending himself for the even more interesting markets in Argentina and Brazil after a good season. His daughter will start school this year, but in South America, educational institutions are closed for almost three months in the summer. So the lessons would take place after the basketball season, at a time the family would like to spend at home.
Accordingly, Benzing is now striving for a different solution. He prefers to return to Europe, although he would like to enter into a longer-term relationship in order to offer his family a stable situation. You might even see him in Germany this season. The change period in the Bundesliga ends on March 31, and if Peñarol were to retire early from the championship race, the 165-time national player would be on the market. An option that he at least doesn’t rule out.
The author was coach of the year twice in Germany.
