It was a good week in Europe for the Italians. In the Cev Cup, Cuneo and Piacenza brilliantly won their Challenge Round first legs. Without Wijsmans, still recovering, Cuneo came back from Spain with a 3-2 win over Cai Teruel. Piacenza is back on track. It thumped Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle 3-0 at home despite being without Marshall and Meoni.
Perugia offered an excellent performance too. It made it looked very easy against the Belgium team of Asse-Lennik, winning 3-0. One set will be enough in the return leg on Wednesday for Di Pinto’s team to reach the Final Four.
CEV Cup
Challenge Round first round
CoprAtlantide Piacenza – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) 3-0 (25-18,25-21,25-14)
Tours VB (FRA) – Iskra Odintsovo (RUS) 2-3 (23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 9-15)
Cai Teruel (ESP) – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 2-3 (13-25, 25-16, 24-26, 25-23, 10-15)
Noliko Maaseik (BEL) – E.A. Patron (GER) 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 16-25, 25-20)
Gm Capital Challenge Cup
Quarter final first leg
RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia – Euphony Asse-Lennik (BEL) 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-20)
Dukla Liberec (CZE) – Stade Poitevin Poitiers (FRA) 3-0 (25–21, 25–20, 25–19)
Lokomotiv Kharkiv (UKR) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 2-3 (21-25, 25-23, 25-19, 22-25, 12-15)
SCC Berlin (GER) – Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 3-2 (25-23, 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, 15-11)
Fixtures
CEV Cup – Challenge Round return game
3 March at 6pm
Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – CoprAtlantide Piacenza
4 March at 7pm
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Cai Teruel (ESP)
GM Capital Challenge Cup – Quarter final return leg
3 March at 8.30pm
Euphony Asse-Lennik (BEL) – RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia
Indesit Champions League
Trento in Playoffs 6 next week
The Champions League is back after a week rest. Trento, which is the only Italian left following the elimination of Macerata, will host the Polish team of Rzeszow in the Playoffs 6 first leg. The three winners of this stage will join Belchatow (the host) in the final four, which will take place on the 10 and 11 of April. The return game will be in Poland on the 9 March.
Playoffs 6 draw
Trentino BetClic – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) – Ach Volley Bled (SLO)
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)
Indesit Champions League
Playoffs 6 first leg
Wednesday 3 march at 8.30pm
Trentino BetClic – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
Indesit Champions League
Playoffs 6 return leg
Tuesday 9 March at 6pm
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) – Trentino BetClic
