2012 Champions League – Final Four
The final act of the Champions League is upon us. Trentino is among the four participating teams of the Final Four, which is taking place this weekend in Lodz, Poland. Stoytchev’s team will try to make history and equal Moscow’s record of four consecutive triumphs from 1986 to 1989. Indeed, Trentino has lifted the trophy for the past three seasons and are still on course for a huge breakthrough. On its way, there will be the Russians of Kazan in the semi-final, team in which there is Valerio Vermiglio. Kazan made it into the final four by getting rid of the Germans of Friedrichshafen without any problems. Besides Vermiglio, coach Alekno can count on former Modena and Cuneo players, Yuri Berezhko and Alexander Volkov, as well as Priddy, Mikhailov and Apalikov. The Russians had won the title, in Lodz, in 2008 by beating Piacenza in the final at the tie-break. Before this encounter, there will be the other semi-final between the host of Belchatow and Izmir (Turkey), which had been in the Challenge Cup final last year, losing out to Macerata.
Radostin Stoytchev (coach Trentino PlanetWin365): “What we have achieved in the past really does not matter to us right now. The story is written every day without looking behind. We have free minds because nobody thinks that having won three titles gives us any kind of advantage. We have been working extremely well, I am very pleased because to beat a team like Kazan we’ll need our best volleyball. Kazan has changed style compared to last year’s final. They are more balanced now, they make the best out of Vermiglio, Berezhko and Volkov’s characteristics. These are their three new starters. This is not like a final, we’re looking at it like a semi-final, there is a long way to go to win the Champions League 2012, it will be very tough. The level of this Final Four will be outstanding, with four top quality teams”.
2012 Champions League Final Four – Atlas Arena, Lodz (POL)
Saturday March 17: semi-finals
2.30pm
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Arkas Izmir (TUR) Live on Sportitalia 2
5.30pm
Trentino PlanetWin365 (ITA) – Zenit Kazan (RUS) Live on Sportitalia 2
Sunday March 18
2012 Champions League Final Four – Atlas Arena, Lodz (POL)
Game for third place at 2.30pm Live on Sportitalia 1
Finale at 5.30pm Live on Sportitalia 1
PAST WINNERS
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 (ITA)
1980/81 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1981/82 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1982/83 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1983/84 Santal Parma (ITA)
1984/85 Santal Parma (ITA)
1985/86 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1986/87 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1987/88 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1988/89 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1989/90 Philips Modena (ITA)
1990/91 CSKA Mosca (C.S.I.)
1991/92 Il Messaggero Ravenna (ITA)
1992/93 Il Messaggero Ravenna (ITA)
1993/94 Edilcuoghi Ravenna (ITA)
1994/95 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
1995/96 Las Daytona Modena (ITA)
1996/97 Las Daytona Modena (ITA)
1997/98 Casa Modena Unibon (ITA)
1998/99 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
1999/00 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE (change of nomination)
2000/01 Paris Volley (FRA)
2001/02 Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA)
2002/03 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2003/04 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2004/05 Tous VB (FRA)
2005/06 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
2006/07 Vfb Friedrichshafen (GER)
2007/08 Dinamo Kazan (RUS)
2008/09 Trentino Volley (ITA)
2009/10 Trentino BetClic (ITA)
2010/11 Trentino BetClic (ITA)
2012 CEV Cup
2012 CEV Cup – Semi-final return leg
Monza is proving to be a tough team to beat, be that in the Italian league or in the Cev Cup. Three tie-break played in the last three games, the last of which won at home in the Cev Cup in the first leg against the Russians of Dinamo Moscow. If the Russians win the return leg (on any score), a Golden Set will be played. The other semi-final put face to face Rzeszow and Ljubljana. The Polish side, semi-finalist last season against Treviso, won the first leg 3-0 over the Slovenians.
Semi-final first legs
Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza (ITA) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 15-12)
Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 3-0 (28-26, 25-8, 25-17)
Semi-final return legs
Saturday March 17 at 8pm
ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
(Kulhanek-Boes)
Sunday March 18 at 3pm
Dinamo Moscow (RUS) – Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza (ITA)
(Hudik- Kondakov)
