European cups
2015 CEV DenizBank Champions League: Cucine Lube Treia, Sir Safety Perugia and Copra Piacenza in the playoffs 12
2015 CEV DenizBank Champions League
The Champions League has reached its first knock-out stage with the playoffs 12. All the Italians, Treia, Perugia and Piacenza, are qualified. They will try to join Berlin (the organizer) in the final four, to take place on March 28-29, and the first barrier is the playoff 12.
On Wednesday, Treia will host the Polish champions of Belchatow in Civitanova. The first leg at home is key, a win would allow Giuliani’s men to go to Poland with a good chance of going through. Belchatow was unbeaten in their group. They are coached by Miguel Angel Falasca, who played in the past in Italy with Modena, Ferrara and Bologna. The roster is composed of top class players like the World Champions Mariusz Wlazly, Michal Winiarski, Karol Klos and Andrzej Wrona, as well as former Macerata star Fecundo Conte, setter Nicolas Uriarte (former Bologna and Roma player), Serbian middle blocker Srecko Lisinac and the French Nicolas Marechal. Treia will have its full squad as Kovar was back in the win over Piacenza.
On Thursday Perugia will be in Poland to take on Jastrzebski Wegiel, led by coach Roberto Piazza and outside hitter Michal Lasko. The polish side finished third of the last Champions League (with coach Lorenza Bernardi on the bench). In December, they signed Guillaume Quesque from Monza, who added quality to a roster who already had plenty. Several players have been in Italy: Kaliberda (in Vibo, and last year in Piacenza), Pajenk (Macerata and Verona) and Bartman (Modena, Taranto and Verona). A tough one for Grbic and co, in their first experience in this competition.
Piacenza will be at home against the Russian army of Zenit Kazan on Thursday night. Piacenza made the breakthrough to qualify in the playoffs 12 in the Champions League, but they have been having a lot of trouble in the Italian SuperLega in which they conceded a series of defeats. And the draw in Europe could not have been much harder. Kazan is one of the favourites to win the whole thing. Last year, the two teams had met and Kazan had won 3-0 in Italy in the playoffs 6. Apalikov, Sivozhelez, Spiridonov, Verbov and Mikhailov are the top ‘Russian’ stars, while coach Alekno also has great foreigners like Matt Anderson, Leon Venero and Iranian setter Marouflakrani. Piacenza will need a big one to keep their chance alive before travelling to Russia for the return leg.
PlayOffs: 12 the draw
VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
Tomis Constanta (ROU) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL) – Sir Safety Perugia (ITA)
Cucine Lube Treia (ITA) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL)
Copra Piacenza (ITA) – Zenit Kazan (RUS)
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
Fixtures
PlayOffs 12 first leg
Wednesday February 11 at 8.30pm
Cucine Lube Treia (ITA) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) Live on Fox Sports 2 HD (Sky 213)
(Rychlik-Pashkevich)
Thursday February 12 at 5.30pm
Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL) – Sir Safety Perugia (ITA) Live on Fox Sports 2 HD
(Makshanov-Cinatl)
Thursday February 12 at 8.30pm
Copra Piacenza (ITA) – Zenit Kazan (RUS) Live on Fox Sports 2 HD
(Delikostidis-Ormonde)
