UnipolSai MVP
Osmany Juantorena has been elected MVP for the month of November. After two years spent in Turkey, the Italo-Cuban star from Civitanova earned the first coveted prize of the 2015-16 season thanks to a superb first part of season in the SuperLega UnipolSai. In the first month of competition, he averaged no less than 18 winning spikes and a total of 20 points.
He will receive his award on Sunday 20 December before the home league game against CMC Romagna.
2016 DenizBank Champions League
In spite of the tie-break defeat in France, Trentino remains top of the standings in front of Tours. Lanza and co were beaten for the first time in Europe this season. They were close to finalise another come-back and in the end still took a crucial point out of the encounter. Tours, who had just changed coach (the German Heynen took over the Brazilian Motta), stand now two points behind the Italians.
In Group E, in spite of the turnover, Civitanova easily brushed aside Dukla Liberec, which had already been thrashed in the first meeting. The Czechs are bottom of the group and still without a point, while this is the fourth win in as many games for the Italians, who keep a three-point advantage on the Pols of Belchatow.
Fourth triumph too for Modena. It was all one way traffic in Serbia against Vojvodina, who had already been beaten in Italy. In spite of being without Petric, Lorenzetti’s men dominated their opponents. Modena has yet to lose a set in the competition.
Results:
2016 DenizBank Champions League – Round 4
POOL A
Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL) – Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 0-3 (14-25, 19-25, 25-27)
Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) – Arkas Izmir (TUR) 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-23)
Standings: Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) 9*, Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 7, Arkas Izmir (TUR) 5*, Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL) 0
*one game in hand
POOL B
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-22)
VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) – Paris Volley (FRA) 3-0 (26-24, 27-25, 25-19)
Standings: Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 7*, Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 6*, Paris Volley (FRA) 5, VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) 3
* one game in hand
POOL C
Tours VB (FRA) – Trentino Diatec (ITA) 3-2 (18-25, 25-21, 27-25, 22-25, 15-10)
PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – Noliko Maaseik (BEL) 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19)
Classifica: Trentino Diatec (ITA) 10, Tours VB (FRA) 8, Noliko Maaseik (BEL) 3, PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 3
POOL D
Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 2-3 (25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 20-25, 5-25)
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Zenit Kazan (RUS) 1-3 (25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 14-25)
Standings: Zenit Kazan (RUS) 12, Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 6, Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 5, Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) 1
POOL E
Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – Dukla Liberec (CZE) 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-20)
Knack Roeselare (BEL) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) 1-3 (19-25, 15-25, 25-21, 14-25)
Standings: Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 12, PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) 9, Knack Roeselare (BEL) 3, Dukla Liberec (CZE) 0
POOL F
Lotos Trefl Gdansk (POL) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-23)
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – DHL Modena (ITA) 0-3 (21-25, 22-25, 14-25)
Standings: DHL Modena (ITA) 12, Lotos Trefl Gdansk (POL) 9, Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) 3, ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 0
POOL G
Volley Asse-Lennik (BEL) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) 1-3 (25-21, 13-25, 24-26, 14-25)
Tomis Constanta (ROU) – #Dragons Lugano (SUI) 0-3 (18-25, 8-25, 22-25)
Standings: Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) 12, #Dragons Lugano (SUI) 7, Volley Asse-Lennik (BEL) 4, Tomis Constanta (ROU) 1
Fixtures
CEV Champions League – Round 5
Tuesday 19 January at 8.30pm
POOL C
Trentino Diatec (ITA) – PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) Live on Fox Sports HD
(Arrarte-Rajkovic)
POOL E
Wednesday 20 January at 8.30pm
Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) Live on Fox Sports HD
(Collados-Akinci)
Thursday 21 January at 6pm
POOL F
Lotos Trefl Gdansk (POL) – DHL Modena (ITA) Live on Fox Sports HD
(Hakkarainen-Ryabtsov)
2016 CEV Cup
On Boban Kovac’s return on the Perugia bench, the Italians recorded a somewhat predictable win over Presov worth a ticket into the quarter-finals. The tie had already been compromised after the first leg for the Slovakians, who could not turn things around in Italy. Buti and co were not satisfied with the two sets they needed to qualify, they swept their opponent to make it four European wins in a row. They will now take on the Germans of SWD Powervolleys Düren, who had the better of the Czechs of Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice.
8th of finals return leg, result:
Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA) – Mirad PU Presov (SVK) 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16)
Quarter-final draw:
Gazprom-Ugra Surgut (RUS) – Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)
VaLePa Sastamala (FIN) – Volei Municipal Zalau (ROU)
Cai Teruel (ESP) – AS Cannes (FRA)
SWD Powervolleys Düren (GER) – Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA)
Fixtures
Quarter-finals first leg
Between January 19 and 21
SWD Powervolleys Düren (GER) – Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA)
(Bagde-Geldof)
2016 Challenge Cup
The Italians are on song in the Challenge Cup too with Verona qualifying to the 8th of finals thanks to a fourth consecutive win in Europe. They defeated the Dutch of Zwolle for the second time (3-0). Coach Giani gave some court time to his bench to allow his stars to rest in this frenetic period and ahead of the two games to be played against Perugia in the league and in the Italian Cup quarter-finals. In the next round, they will take on Galatasaray (Turkey), who knocked out the Danish side of Gentofte Volley.
Challenge Cup 16th of finals return leg
Calzedonia Verona (ITA) – Landstede Zwolle (NED) 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-22)
8th of final draw
Fatra Zlin (CZE) – Fakel Novi Urengoy (RUS)
Lokomotiv Kharkiv (UKR) – Calcit Kamnik (SLO)
C.S.Arcada Galati (ROU) – Asul Lyon Métropole (FRA)
Pärnu VC (EST) – Prefaxis Menen (BEL)
Istanbul BBSK (TUR) – Benfica Lisboa (POR)
Spartak LJIG (SRB) – Ethnikos Alexandroupolis (GRE)
Arago de Sete (FRA) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB)
Calzedonia Verona (ITA) – Galatasaray HDI Istanbul (TUR)
Fixtures
8th of finals first leg
Between January 19 and 21
Calzedonia Verona (ITA) – Galatasaray HDI Istanbul (TUR)
(Sek-Hulka)
