Special European Cups
2016 DenizBank Champions League
Second week as positive as the first with all three Italians grabbing victories and staying top of their respective groups.
Trentino came away from the magnificent and packed Sport Arena in Thessaloniki with a 3-1 victory. It turned out to be a tougher game than expected against a team galvanised by the push of over 3500 fans. But the Italians got better as the game wore on and, led by their Greek outside hitter Mitar Djuric (15 points), they did not let the hosts upset them.
Civitanova was imperial too in front of 8000 fans in the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland. They managed to beat Belchatow 3-1 and leave them three points behind in the standings. And this made it seven wins in seven games so far this season. Blengini’s men played as a real unit and managed to finish the job even after libero Grebennikov went out injured in the fourth set.
The top two teams of Pool F met and Modena came out on top against the Pols of Gdansk as the Italians make their return to the Champions League 12 years on. Former Modena coach Andrea Anastasi was welcomed with a special remembrance gift. This encounter made it two wins in two games for Modena to start the European season.
Results:
2016 DenizBank Champions League – Round 2
POOL A
Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) – Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 3-0 (25-18, 25-17, 26-24)
Arkas Izmir (TUR) – Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL) 3-1(25-17, 21-25, 25-22, 25-18)
Standings: Belogorie Belgorod (RUS) 6, Arkas Izmir (TUR) 5, Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) 1, Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL) 0
POOL B
VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) – Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 1-3 (20-25, 25-18, 15-25, 23-25)
Paris Volley (FRA) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS) gara rinviata
Standings: Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) 6, Dinamo Moscow (RUS) 3*, Paris Volley (FRA) 0*, VfB Friedrichshafen (GER) 0
*one game in hand
POOL C
PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – Trentino Diatec (ITA) 1-3 (22-25, 25-18, 21-25, 13-25)
Noliko Maaseik (BEL) – Tours VB (FRA) 1-3 (19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 21-25)
Standings: Trentino Diatec (ITA) 6, Tours VB (FRA) 6, Noliko Maaseik (BEL) 0, PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 0
POOL D
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 30-32, 25-21, 15-12)
Zenit Kazan (RUS) – Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-19)
Standings: Zenit Kazan (RUS) 6, Halkbank Ankara (TUR) 5, Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 1, Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) 0
POOL E
Knack Roeselare (BEL) – Dukla Liberec (CZE) 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-22)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 1-3 (28-30, 25-18, 21-25, 20-25)
Standings: Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) 6, PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) 3, Knack Roeselare (BEL) 3, Dukla Liberec (CZE) 0
POOL F
Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-19)
DHL Modena (ITA) – Lotos Trefl Gdansk (POL) 3-0 (25-16, 30-28, 25-12)
Standings: DHL Modena (ITA) 6, Lotos Trefl Gdansk (POL) 3, Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB) 3, ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 0
POOL G
Tomis Constanta (ROU) – Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) 0-3 (20-25, 19-25, 21-25)
#Dragons Lugano (SUI) – Volley Asse-Lennik (BEL) 2-3 (28-26, 24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 8-15)
Standings: Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL) 6, Volley Asse-Lennik (BEL) 4, Tomis Constanta (ROU) 1, #Dragons Lugano (SUI) 1
Fixtures
CEV Champions League – Round 3
Wednesday 2 December at 8.30pm
POOL C
Trentino Diatec (ITA) – Tours VB (FRA)
(Twardowski-Goncalves)
POOL E
Thursday 3 December at 6pm
Dukla Liberec (CZE) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA)
(Stanisic-Kurtiss)
Thursday 3 December at 8.30pm
POOL F
DHL Modena (ITA) – Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB)
(Isajlovic-Collados)
2016 CEV Cup
Last week’s sweep of Karlovarsk at home in the 16th of finals first leg was followed by another victory for Perugia in the Czech Republic on a 3-1 score. Stunned in the first set, Castellani’s men reacted immediately to take the next three and qualify for the next round, in which they will meet the Slovakian side of Mirad PU Presov. The latter knocked out Lokomotiv Kharkiv at the golden set.
16th of finals return leg
CEZ Karlovarsko (CZE) – Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA) 1-3 (25-20, 22-25, 19-25, 19-25)
Fixtures
8th of finals first leg
Between 1 and 3 December.
Mirad PU Presov (SVK) – Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA)
(Ristovski-Penkov)
8th of finals return leg
Between 15 and 17 December
Sir Safety-Sicoma Perugia (ITA) – Mirad PU Presov (SVK)
(Kuzmanovic-Gerogiadis)
2016 Challenge Cup
The first two sets were enough for Verona to celebrate qualification into the Challenge Cup 16th of finals. They disposed of the Portuguese side of Fonte Bastardo Azores without much trouble. In the next round, Verona will take on the Dutch team of Zwolle, which was knocked out of the CEV Cup by the Swiss of Lausanne.
Challenge Cup 2nd round return leg
Fonte Bastardo Azores (POR) – Calzedonia Verona (ITA) 1-3 (15-25, 11-25, 27-25, 21-25)
Fixtures
16th of finals first leg
Between 1 and 3 December
Landstede Zwolle (NED) – Calzedonia Verona (ITA)
(Till-Vedris)
16th of finals return leg
Between 15 and 17 December
Calzedonia Verona (ITA) – Landstede Zwolle (NED)
