Europe
Italians hunt for finals
2015 CEV Cup
Trentino put together nine consecutive wins in Europe, but they need one more to reach its fourth European cup final in history. Winners at the tie-break in Poland last Tuesday, Stoytchev’s men have a great opportunity to go through as they play home against Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle. Trento is chasing its first triumph in this competition as they spent six years in the Champions League, having won it three times in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Trento needs a win on any score to qualify to the final (April 7 – April 11) and play against the winner of Dinamo Moscow (Russia) versus Asse-Lennik (Belgium). The Russians won the first leg 3-0.
If the Pols were to win at the tie-break, there would be a golden set, while a win on any other scores for the visitors would knock Trento out of the competition.
Semi-final return leg
Saturday March 28 at 8.30pm
Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino (ITA) – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL)
(Geukes-Mylonakis)
Volley behappy2 Asse-Lennik (BEL) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS)
(Folgar Fraga-Baklouti)
2015 CEV Challenge Cup
Ravenna was severely beaten in Portugal by Benfica in the Challenge Cup semi-final first leg. Now, if Ravenna wants to add to its triumph in 1997, they will need to win 3-0 or 3-1 in order to earn a golden set. This wouldn’t be the first time Ravenna turn things around this season. In the quarter-finals, they had lost 3-2 before winning the return leg 3-0 at home. In the other semi-final: Vojvodina NS Novi Sad made a step towards the final by comfortably winning the first leg in Byelorussia against Stroitel Minsk.
Semi-final return leg
Sunday March 29 at 6pm
CMC Ravenna (ITA) – Benfica Lisboa (POR)
(Burkiewicz-Vedris)
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – Stroitel Minsk (BLR)
(Sarikaya-Parshyn)
