CEV Cup & GM Capital Challenge Cup finals
The Cev Cup final first leg will be on Wednesday with Treviso playing host to Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle. The Italians are chasing their fifth Cev Cup trophy against a Polish side in which there is former Perugia player Sebastian Swiderski.
Roberto Piazza (Sisley Treviso): “This will be a complicated game against a strong opponent, but it will be great and exciting. It was tough to get this far, now let’s enjoy the final with the brilliant supporters of Belluno. They will be particularly motivated because no Polish team had reach the Cev Cup final for 20 years, so they will be up for it, but we should be too. After the last two games, I told the boys we had to focus again on the important things and start playing well again like we had been doing until not so long ago. Physically we are fine, Farina is on his way back, Alessandro Fei has also almost recovered 100% from his back problems, so we’re ready to do our job. For me, each game is a final, so I don’t feel any particular motivation for this end of Cev Cup. I told the players that each game and each training had to be faced with maximum effort.
The club has not put anything in the trophy cabinet for a while, I know the players are really eager to win and they’ll show their commitment tomorrow and Saturday. Kozle is one of the best teams of the Polish league, which has become one of the best in Europe. Their style is made of fighting spirit and aggressiveness, they serve very well and they put pressure on the reception. Besides, they have experienced players such as setter Zagummy who is a good player and spiker Swiderski, who we know well. It will be a good game, I count on my boys, If we play up to our standard we can beat anyone”.
CEV Cup
Final first leg – Wednesday 9 March at 8.30pm
In Belluno
Sisley Treviso (ITA) – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) Live on Sportitalia 2
Final return leg – Saturday 12 March at 4.30pm
Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – Sisley Treviso (ITA) Live on Sportitalia 2
CEV CUP PAST WINNERS
1980/81 A.S. Cannes (FRA)
1981/82 Starlift (NED)
1982/83 Panini Modena
1983/84 Panini Modena
1984/85 Panini Modena
1985/86 Kutiba Falconara
1986/87 Enermix Milano
1987/88 Automobilist Leningrado (URSS)
1988/89 Automobilist Leningrado (URSS)
1989/90 Moerser Moers (GER)
1990/91 Sisley Treviso
1991/92 Maxicono Parma
1992/93 Sisley Treviso
1993/94 Ignis Padova
1994/95 Cariparma Volleyball Parma
1995/96 Alpitour Traco Cuneo
1996/97 Area Ravenna Volley
1997/98 Sisley Treviso
1998/99 Iveco Palermo
1999/00 Piaggio Roma
2000/01 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2001/02 Noicom Brebanca Cuneo
2002/03 Sisley Treviso
2003/04 Kerakoll Modena
2004/05 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2005/06 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2006/07 Novy Urengoi (RUS)
2007/08 M. Roma Volley
2008/09 Lokomotiv Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
2009/10 Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
Excitement all around as Macerata is about to face its first ever Challenge Cup final of its history. The last obstacle is from Turkey: Izmir, currently second in the Turkish league. Izmir has two players who used to play in Italy: Brazilian Setter, Paolo Bravo (Piacenza) and Hungarian spiker Domotor Meszaros (Trento, Padova, Monthichiari, Modena).
Marko Podrascanin (Lube Banche Marche Macerata): “We have worked extremely hard to reach the final. There were long road games too, and the trophy would definitely be the best reward possible. This is the only continental trophy missing for Macerata, this gives us even more motivation, just like the fact we’ll play such an important game in our Fontescodella gym, although this will only be the first leg. The new regulations means we have to win both games to get the trophy so useless to underline how important is this first leg we’ll play in front of our fans. Izmir has excellent players, who know very well the Italian league and its teams, so it will definitely be hard to get the trophy. We’ll need to be at our best. It will be crucial to play composed, focused and especially be aware of our ability”.
GM Capital Challenge Cup
Final first leg – Wednesday 9 March at 8.30pm
Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA) – Arkas Izmir (TUR) Live on Sportitalia
Final return leg – Sunday 13 March at 4pm Italian time (5 local time) Arkas Izmir (TUR) – Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA) Live on Sportitalia
CHALLENGE CUP PAST WINNERS
2007/08 Cimone Modena
2008/09 Arkas Izmir (TUR)
2009/10 RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia
2011 CEV Champions League
Cuneo’s last chance in Moscow
Cuneo will play to stay alive in the Champions League in Moscow in the playoffs 6 return leg. Its chances to qualify for the Final Four of Bolzano suffered a big blow when it was beaten home 3-1. Now Wijsmams and co have to win on any score and then hope to go through to meet Trento in the semis by winning the Golden Set too.
Fixtures
Playoffs 6 return leg
Tuesday 8 March at 8.30pm
Noliko Maaseik (BEL) – Jastrzbeski Wegiel (POL)
Wednesday 9 March at 6pm
Zenit Kazan (RUS) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL)
Thursday 10 March at 5pm Italian time (7pm local time)
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (ITA) Live on Sportitalia 2
