The Club World Championships begins tomorrow, Thursday, for Trentino. The event will take place this year again in Doha, Qatar, as the Italians will try to retain their title. Their first encounter will be against the Russians of Dynamo Moscow in a remake of last year’s Champions League final (3pm). Moscow seems to be the toughest opposition of the group, in which there are also the Argentines of Drean Bolivar. There is a lot of experience at the highest level in the Trentino squad: only Leonardi and Colaci will make their debut in a world event, all the others have played at least one game in a World League or World Championships.
Radostin Stoytchev (Trentino BetClic): “We have been drawn in a very tight and top level group, with excellent teams against which we’ll have to play at our best. My only regret is to get to this already crucial game without being able to use Birarelli and with Sala coming back from a shoulder problem, he has a limited autonomy. It is a difficult situation but we are used to play in any kind of problematic. Dinamo Moscow is a strong and experienced team that I know well. We’re expecting a very tough game”.
The Formula
Eight teams representing four of the five continents divided in 2 groups. The teams meet only once. The top two of each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The last two of each group will be eliminated and equally classified in fifth place. Two points given for a win and one point for a loss. In case of parity, the criteria taken into consideration are the following in that order: number of wins, point quotient, set quotient.
POOL A
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL)
Al Ahly (EGY)
Paykan (IRI)
Al Arabi Doha (QAT)
Fixtures:
Wednesday 15 December at 7pm (5pm Italian time)
Al Ahly (EGY) – Al Arabi Doha (QAT)
Thursday 16 December at 12 (10am Italian time)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Paykan (IRI)
Friday 17 December at 10 (8am Italian time)
Al Ahly (EGY) – Paykan (IRI)
Friday 17 December at 7pm (5pm Italian time)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Al Arabi Doha (QAT)
Sunday 19 December at 12 (10am Italian time)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Al Ahly (EGY)
Sunday 19 December at 7pm (5pm Italian time)
Paykan (IRI) – Al Arabi Doha (QAT)
POOL B
Trentino BetClic(ITA)
Dynamo Moscow (RUS)
Paul Mitchell (USA)
Drean Bolivar (ARG)
Wednesday 15 December at 12 (10am Italian time)
Paul Mitchell (USA) – Drean Bolivar (ARG) 1-3 (25-23, 25-27, 19-25, 21-25)
Thursday 16 December at 5pm (3pm Italian time)
Trentino BetClic (ITA) – Dynamo Moscow (RUS) Live on Rai Sport 2
Friday 17 December at 12 (10 Italian time)
Dynamo Moscow (RUS) – Paul Mitchell (USA)
Friday 17 December at 3pm (1pm Italian time)
Trentino BetClic (ITA) – Drean Bolivar (ARG) Live on Rai Sport 2
Sunday 19 December at 3pm (1pm Italian time)
Dynamo Moscow (RUS) – Drean Bolivar (ARG)
Sunday 19 December at 5pm (3pm Italian time)
Trentino BetClic (ITA) – Paul Mitchell (USA) Differed on Rai Sport 2 at 8.15
Semi-finals
Monday 20 December at 12 (10am Italian time)
1st Pool A – 2nd Pool B Live on Rai Sport 2
Monday 20 December at 7pm (5pm Italian time)
1st Pool B – 2nd Pool A Live on Rai Sport 2
Finals
Tuesday 21 December at 12 (10am Italian time)
Game for third place Live on Rai Sport 2
Tuesday 21 December at 7pm (5pm Italian time)
Final Live on Rai Sport 2
