The new year welcomes the CEV Cup 16th of finals. Three points from the league leaders of Civitanova in the SuperLega, Trento got rid of the Byelorussian team Stroitel Minsk in the previous round and will now take on Innsbruck. The Austraians were knocked out of the Champions League third round by the Germans of Friedrichschafen. Innsbruck has former Trento spiker Stefan Chrtiansky (2012-13) and Francesco Cadeddu, Giuliani’s assistant for almost a decade. In Cuneo he won the CEV Cup, league title, Italian Cup and Super Cup. The first leg will be played in Italy.
There will also be Piacenza, currently sixth in the table as a victory over Molfetta ended a three-game losing streak. In its 11th participation into a European competition, Lorenzetti’s men began this adventure from the 16th of finals thanks to its European ranking. They will take on Hurrikaani Loimaa, who takes part in the CEV Cup for the second year running thanks to their third place in the Finnish league. In the 32nd of finals, they had the better of the Bulgarian side Dobrudja 07 Dobrich (3-0 and 3-1).
16th of finals :
Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) – Gazprom-Urga Surgut (RUS)
Cež Karlovarsko (CZE) – Tiikerit Kokkola (FIN)
Ok Novi Pazar (SRB) – Paok Thessaloniki (GRE)
Tours VB (FRA) – Volejbal Brno (CZE)
Hapoel Yoav Kfar Saba (ISR) – Lindemans Aalst (BEL)
Sk Aich/Dob (AUT) – Arago de Sete (FRA)
Topvolley Callant Antwerp (BEL) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB)
Ok Mladost Brcko (BIH) – United Volleys Rheinmain (GER)
Hapoel Mate-Asher Akko (ISR) – Fenerbahce Sk Istanbul (TUR)
Levski Ball Sofia (BUL) – Abiant Lycurgus Groningen (NED)
Cska Sofia (BUL) – Volley Amriswil (SUI)
Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE) – Gfc Ajaccio (FRA)
Vojvodina Ns Seme Novi Sad (SRB) – C.s. Arcada Galati (ROU)
LPR Piacenza (ITA) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT)
VaLePa Sastamala (FIN) – Gentofte Volley (DEN)
Hurrikaani Loimaa (FIN) – Diatec Trentino (ITA)
Fixtures
16th of finals first leg
Wednesday 4 January at 8.30pm
LPR Piacenza (ITA) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT)
(Magnusson-Moula)
Thursday 5 January at 5.30pm (Italian time)
Hurrikaani Loima (FIN) – Diatec Trentino (ITA)
(Niklova-Janik)
16th of finals return leg
Wednesday 18 January at 7pm
Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) – LPR Piacenza (ITA)
(Dimachi-Marques Ferreira)
Wednesday 18 January at 8.30pm
Diatec Trentino (ITA) – Hurrikaani Loima (FIN)
(Lopes Pinto-Nikolic)
