2018 Champions League
After the good performances in the Pools, the italian teams are approaching the Playoffs12. Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia is already in Turkey, ready to face Halkbank Ankara, second place finisher in Pool B behind VFB Friedrichshafen. Halkbank is coached by former legendary coach of Sir Safety Conad Perugia Boban Kovac, who drove Perugia in Serie A1 in 2012 and in the Superleague Final in 2014. For Kovac some other former players of italian tournament as Nemanja Petric and Chernokozhev (both former Perugia), and former Molfetta and Piacenza Raydel Hierrezuelo and Fernando Hernandez. The game will be broadcasted by Fox Sports at 15.30 tomorrow.
Again live on Fox Sports, wednesday will be the turn of Cucine Lube Civitanova, who will face polish Skra Belchatow already faced by Lube in last Champions League playoffs. Coached by italian coach Roberto Piazza, Skra finished second in Pool C behind russians Novosibirsk. Game 2 will be played at Eurosuole Forum thursday 22nd march at 20.30.
Last italian team in Champions League Playoffs12 is Trentino Diatec, who will play next wednesday 14th march at 20.30 (live on Fox Sports) versus rookies Chaumont VB 52 Haute Marne, through the best thirds of the Pool Phase. The frenchmen won the Championship of France in last season, coached by italian coach Silvano Prandi (veteran italian coach who wan on Trento’s bench from 2003 until 2005), ame 2 will be played at PalaTrento next tuesday 20th march at 20.30.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FORMAT
Two preliminary rounds (2nd e 3rd Round) will choose 20 teams for the Pool Round, 5 groups with 4 teams.
First and second of each group, together with the best 2 thirds. CEV will choos the Final Four host in these 12 teams, who will be one of the four teams, and third best tshird will replace the hosting team.
Final rounds will be PlayOffs 12, PlayOffs 6 and Final Four.
Fox International Channels Italy has the tv rights of Champions League, and will broadcast the games of italian teams on Fox Sports HD, 204 SKY, Fox Sport Plus, 205 SKY and Sky Sport 3 HD, 203 SKY (all games are available on streaming on www.laola1.tv)
PlayOffs 12
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia (ITA)
Noliko Maaseik (BEL) – Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA)
Chaumont VB 52 Haute Marne (FRA) – Trentino Diatec (ITA)
Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL) – Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) – VfB Friedrichshafen (GER)
2018 CEV Champions League – Andata PlayOffs 12
Martedì 13 marzo 2018, ore 15.30 (italiane)
Halkbank Ankara (TUR) – Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia (ITA) Diretta Fox Sports (canale 204 del decoder Sky) – Commento di Stefano Locatelli e Andrea Zorzi
(Cambre-Witte)
Mercoledì 14 marzo 2018, ore 18.00
PGE Skra Belchatow (POL) – Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) Diretta Fox Sports (canale 204 del decoder Sky) – Commento di Fabrizio Monari e Samuele Papi
(Akinci-Guillet)
Mercoledì 14 marzo 2018, ore 20.30
Chaumont VB 52 Haute Marne (FRA) – Trentino Diatec (ITA) Diretta Fox Sports (canale 204 del decoder Sky) – Commento di Stefano Locatelli e Andrea Zorzi
(Hosnut-Rogic)
2018 CEV Champions League – Ritorno PlayOffs 12
Martedì 20 marzo 2018, ore 20.30
Trentino Diatec (ITA) – Chaumont VB 52 Haute Marne (FRA)
(Isajlovic-Fernandez Fuentes)
Mercoledì 21 marzo 2018, ore 20.30
Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia (ITA) – Halkbank Ankara (TUR)
(Dobrev-Porvaznik)
Mercoledì 22 marzo 2018, ore 20.30
Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) – PGE Skra Belchatow (POL)
(Ozbar-Schurmann)
2018 CEV Cup
Calzedonia Verona will play Cev Cup semifinal on the home turf at Agsm Forum next tuesday 13th march at 20.30 versus Ziraat Bankasi Ankara, undefeated in Cev Cup in this season and in good position in Turkish League. Alot of former Superleague players with Ziraat Bankasi Ankara, with italian national team spiker Oleg Antonov, fresh former Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia, Bartosz Kurek, former Lube from 2013 til 2015, Denis Kaliberda former Lube 2016/17 but also former Perugia, Piacenza and Vibo Valentia, and Milos Nikic, former Modena, Milano, Latina, S. Giustino e Monza. Game 2 in Turkey will take place tuesday 20th march at 17.00.
2018 CEV Cup
Semifinal
Martedì 13 marzo 2018, ore 20.30
Calzedonia Verona (ITA) – Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR)
(Skibitskyy-Popovic)
Ritorno Semifinali
Martedì 20 marzo 2018, ore 17.00 (italiane)
Ziraat Bankasi Ankara (TUR) – Calzedonia Verona (ITA)
(Sodja-Yordanov)
2018 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup semifinals for Bunge Ravenna, who will face turkish Maliye Piyango Sk di Ankara, undefeated team in Challenge Cup. A tough series for Coach Soli’s team, who played a great game last saturday versus Sir Safety Conad Perugia in Game 1 of Unipolsai Superleague Quarterfinals.
Next Round
2018 Challenge Cup – Andata Semifinali
Mercoledì 14 marzo 2018, ore 20.00
Bunge Ravenna (ITA) – Maliye Piyango Sk Ankara (TUR)
(Nikolic-Seifried)
2018 CEV Cup – Ritorno Semifinali
Mercoledì 21 marzo 2018, ore 16.30 (italiane)
Maliye Piyango Sk Ankara (TUR) – Bunge Ravenna (ITA)
(Buchar-Van Zanten)
