They won it three times in a row from 2009 to 2011 but a fourth triumph eluded Trento at the tie-break against Kazan. In spite of a superb start to the game, the Italians saw the holders come back from 2-0 down to clinch it in the fifth. The Russians keep therefore their title while Civitanova earned third place at the expense of the hosts of Rzeszow. Trentino’s young Simone Giannelli was named “Best setter” of the tournament.
Final
Zenit Kazan – Trentino Diatec 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 27-25, 15-13)
ZENIT KAZAN – TRENTINO DIATEC 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 25-17, 27-25, 15-13)
ZENIT KAZAN : Anderson 13, Butko 2, Demakov 4, Salparov (L), Leon Venero 27, Ashchev 6, Poletaev, Kobzar 2, Gutsalyuk 5, Verbov (L), Mikhailov 22. DNP Kuleshov, Spiridonov, Babichev.
TRENTINO DIATEC : Antonov 13, Mazzone, Bratoev, Giannelli 9, Lanza 1, Sole’ 5, Tzourits 17, Colaci (L), Van De Voorde 10, Urnaut 15, Mazzone D. 1.
Trento had taken the early initiatives in the tie-break thanks to two plays from Giannelli (attack and block), but Kazan fought back to tie it at 9 all before finding a spurt. Leon made it first 13-10 before scoring again to seal it at 15-13. Kazan wins the Champions League coming back from behind for the second consecutive year.
Radostin Stoytchev (coach Trentino Diatec): “Congratulations to Kaza, they really deserved to win this trophy. They proved they were stronger than us during the game but losing like that hurts. We believed in it till the very end. It’s difficult right now to analyse the game. We were so close to achieve something incredible. Physically we did not manage to keep up with the Russians but I cannot blame my players for anything, on the contrary I want to congratulate them. They gave everything they had and even more in this tournament, and this is something they’ve done all season”.
Game for third place
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów – Cucine Lube Civitanova 2-3 (20-25, 27-25, 25-22, 22-25, 10-15)
ASSECO RESOVIA RZESZÓW – CUCINE LUBE CIVITANOVA 2-3 (20-25, 27-25, 25-22, 22-25, 10-15) – ASSECO RESOVIA RZESZÓW : Kurek 25, Jaeschke 11, Tichacek, Dryja, Akhrem 17, Pashytskyy 8, Drzyzga 5, Ignaczak (L), Penchev, Wojtaszek (L), Holmes 11, Witczak 1. DNP Perlowski, Sliwka. Coach. Kowal.
CUCINE LUBE CIVITANOVA : Fei 16, Parodi (L), Juantorena Portuondo 18, Stankovic 10, Priddy 7, Christenson 7, Cester, Grebennikov (L), Cebulj 10, Podrascanin 10. DNP Vitelli, Kovar, Miljkovic, Corvetta. Coach. Blengini.
Civitanova earned third place in this Champions League by winning a battle that lasted over two hours against the hosts. In front of over 13 thousand fans, Blengini’s men managed to fight back from 2-1 down to finish third for the first time in their history (they had won it in 2002, and collected fourth place twice in 2007 and 2009).
The Italians started much more brightly compared to the previous day in the semis but Reszow bounced back in the second set and even went 2-1 up. Trailing 19-21 in the fourth set, Civitanova found a 5-0 spurt to force a tie-break, which they dominated. Juantorena shined in attack with 18 points and 57% in a game characterised by a huge amount of blocks (17 to 16 for Civitanova). The Italians had 7 aces, stankovic 4 blocks while Priddy had a good impact when he came on in the fourth(5 blocks, 67% in attack for the US spiker). Reszow paid the price for the many mistakes on the serve: 25.
PAST WINNERS
(The Champions Cup became the Champions League from 2000-2001)
1960 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1960/61 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1961/62 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1962/63 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1963/64 SC Leipzig (GDR)
1964/65 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1965/66 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1966/67 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1967/68 Spartak Brno (CEC)
1968/69 CSKA Sofia (BUL)
1969/70 Burevestnik Alma Ata (URSS)
1970/71 Burevestnik Alma Ata (URSS)
1971/72 Zetor Zbroyovka Brno (CEC)
1972/73 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1973/74 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1974/75 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1975/76 Dukla Liberec (CEC)
1976/77 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1977/78 Plomien Milowice (POL)
1978/79 Stella Rossa Bratislava (CEC)
1979/80 Klippan CUS Torino
1980/81 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1981/82 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1982/83 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1983/84 Santal Parma
1984/85 Santal Parma
1985/86 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1986/87 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1987/88 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1988/89 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1989/90 Philips Modena
1990/91 CSKA Mosca (C.S.I.)
1991/92 Il Messaggero Ravenna
1992/93 Il Messaggero Ravenna
1993/94 Edilcuoghi Ravenna
1994/95 Sisley Treviso
1995/96 Las Daytona Modena
1996/97 Las Daytona Modena
1997/98 Casa Modena Unibon
1998/99 Sisley Treviso
1999/00 Sisley Treviso
2000/01 Paris Volley (FRA)
2001/02 Lube Macerata
2002/03 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2003/04 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2004/05 Tours (FRA)
2005/06 Sisley Treviso
2006/07 VfB Friedrichshafen (GER)
2007/08 Dinamo Kazan (RUS)
2008/09 Trentino Volley
2009/10 Trentino BetClic
2010/11 Trentino BetClic
2011/12 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2012/13 Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
2013/14 Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
2014/15 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2015/16 ZENIT KAZAN (RUS)
