2017 CEV Cup Draw
The CEV Cup draw took place this morning in Varna, Bulgaria. It will all begin in the 32nd of finals. Indeed, unlike the Champions League, there won’t be any group phase to begin with. The chase to take over the holders of Berlin Recycling Volley is on.
There are 29 teams registered, which will be joined by 16 teams coming down from the Champions League. The CEV Cup will kick off on December 6 and finish on April 17 (return leg of the final).
In order to go through, a team needs to gather more points than its opponent. A 3-0 or 3-1 victory is worth three points, a tie-break win is worth 2 points, while a tie-break loss is worth 1 point, just like in the Italian league. In case of a tie. A golden set to 15 will be played.
There are two Italian teams among the participants: Trentino, who had a splendid Champions League campaign last season going as far as the final, and Piacenza, who was initially lined up for the Challenge Cup but then re-qualified by the CEV.
Given that the total number of teams to take part in European competitions must remain 5, and that three Italians are already in the Champions League (Civitanova, Modena and Perugia), there won’t be any Italian club in the Challenge Cup.
Here is the full draw of the CEV Cup 2017:
Topvolley Callant Antwerp (Belgium) – loser Champions League 2nd round Mladost Kastela (Croatia)-Paok Salonicco (Greece)
Hurrikaani Loima (Finland) – Loser Champions League second round Abiant Lycurgus Groningen (Netherland)-Dobrudja 07 Dobrich (Bulgaria)
Stiinta Explorari Baia Mare (Romania) – Loser Champions League 2nd round Hapoel Mate-Asher Akko (Israel)-Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (Austria)
Cež Karlovarsko – loser Champions League 2nd round Selver Tallin (Estonia)-Stella Rossa Belgrado (Serbia)
Ok Mladost Brcko (Bosnia) – Loser Champions League second round KV Besa Peja (Kosovo)-Volley Amris Swil (Switzerland)
Ok Novi Pazar (Serbia) – loser Champions League second round Omonia Nicosia (Cyprus)-ACH Volley Lubiana (Slovenia)
LPR Piacenza (Italy) – loser Champions League second round Stroitel Minsk (Byelorussia)-Tiikerit Kokkola (Finland)
Loimu Raisio (Finland) – loser Champions League second round Gentofte Volley (Denmark)-Budvansak Rivijera Budva (Montenegro)
Barkom-Kazhany Lviv (Ukraine) – Vojvodina Ns Seme Novi Sad (Serbia)
Tours Vb (Francia) – Calcit Kamnik (Slovenia)
Nis Nis (Serbia) – Valepa Sastamala (Finland)
Levski Ball Sofia (Bulgaria) – Jedinstvo Bemax Bijelo Polje (Montenegro)
Hapoel Yoav Kfar Saba (Israel) – Lokomotiv Kharkiv (Ukraine)
