The sounds of classical music had ceased to reign in Vienna on Friday’s evening. The city of Ludwig van Beetoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was conquered by volleyball atmosphere due to the annual Gala organized by European Volleyball Federation, where best players of the last season were singled out with financial awards. However, DenizBank Women’s and Men’s Champions League group stage drawing was the most substantive moment that evening. Moreover, André Meyer, CEV president, also presented a new official ball, allocated only to the Champions League competition.
The next CEV Women’s Champions League season foreshows to be even more exciting and may stand at higher level than the last one. In the group stage, there will be plenty of great matches, especially that fate was not kind to a few favorites to the final triumph combining them together massively. The defending champion, Dinamo Kazan, have to tackle the bronze medalist of the last edition that has undergone a complete reconstruction. Rabita Baku, it is about the team, got rid of an Australian opposite, Rachel Rourke, but decided to build its line-up in basis of defectors from communist Cuba. Ana Cleger, Wilma Salas, Gyselle Caridad da Silva and foremost Yoana Palacio will create an offensive quartet, completed by two national team players of Italy and Poland, respectively Francesca Ferretti and Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata. High aspirations will also have a different team co-opted to the group A. Chemik Police, in spite of being a rookie, will not be content with occupation the 3rd position and a possible decline into the CEV Cup. The new champion of Poland significantly strengthened its ranks by hiring several famous Serbian as Stefana Veljovic and Sanja Malagurski and will be obligated by the fans and sponsors to join the fight for tickets to the best 16. A bunch of competitors in Group A fills in Agnel Prostejov from the Czech Republic, which is always a dangerous and tough opponent. Objectively it can be concluded that Pool A deserves to be called “group of death”.
Two other pools are not so aligned, at least on paper. Group B winner will be selected from following two: Fenerbahce Istanbul and Baku Azeryol. Who will win? To find the answer to this question can be difficult, because both teams have been completely rebuilt. Vice champions of Turkey has been abandoned by the American setter Alisha Glass and Aneta Havlickova – opposite from the Czech Republic. Both will be replaced by Eleonora Lo Bianco and a Colombian cannon, Madelaynne Montano, while Azeryol Baku made a big deal having employed Jovana Brakocevic (Vakifbank Istanbul) and the Serb will be the general strength of the Azerbaijan League vice-champion. Stiiana Baku and a newbie in the Champions League, Nantes VB are going to bother favorites in coming up to their aims.
Group C will remain inscrutable. Of course, the favorite, in the form of Dinamo Moscow, is indisputable, but Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio will seek to thwart opponents from the east. Admittedly, the bronze medalists of the year 2013 were not able to secure Valentina Arrighetti, but brought young and extremely energetic Belgian Freya Albrecht from RC Cannes. Moreover, Helena Havelkova returns to Busto Arsizio after 2 years of separation, and the lifemate of Facundo Conte will probably play a major role in the offensive, along with 2 meter Valentina Diouf. The third team on the stage is Dresdner SC. It is hard to believe that the Germans could join the struggle for promotion, but history has repeatedly proved that nothing is impossible. A team of Finland, LP Salo, was drawn to Turkish women, Azeri and Germans and the Finns will be outsiders of the Pool C.
Pool D may loosely apply for the “group of death” title as the fate mingled together four very good teams, where one team is stronger than the other. According to the division into baskets, Eczacibasi Istanbul comes to the foreground, aspiring to be the favorite. When you analyze this summer trades, you can further confirm the belief that Eczacibasi will be powerful. Scarcely have the Turks lost several outstanding players, when there appeared a chance to bring even greater stats such as Christiane Furst (Vakifbank), Bethania de la Cruz (GS Caltex, Korea) or Jordan Larson (Dinamo Kazan). Is it enough to win the group? It is hard to say since opponents have not spent time for wasting. Omicha Omsk has stolen the best Serbian receiver, Brankica Mihajlovic, from Bernardo Rezende’s society, however, the Russian team lost well-known Natalya Mamadova, who chose an offer from a group challenger – Volero Zurich. Ana Antonijevic, ex creative playmaker of RC Cannes, also carried out over Lake Zurich and certainly diversify the play style of the 4th team at Club World Championships. A rookie,Impel Wroclaw, will not be included by bookmakers among the candidates for advance, but perhaps it is a good starting position for the Polish team, because sometimes it is easier to attack, if no one leaves you any chance. Impel is not composed of volleyball no-names, since there are European Champs medalist like Joanna Kaczor and Denise Hanke, who has been recently playing in Eczacibasi and it will be the perfect opportunity for revenge for the very not successful last year.
Rebuilt, but still powerful Vakifbank Istanbul, enigmatic Nordmeccanica Piacanza, always strong RC Cannes and Partizan Beograd “cinderella” will compete in Pool E. Favorite is only one, because the coach – Giovanni Guidetti – rearranged ranks of VakifBank army, which set up a Guinness world record in the number of victories. Watching Vakifbank matches, you will not hear such names like Brakocevic, Furst, although you will be able to see as great athletes, for there will be Brazilian Sheila Castro and excellent middle-blockers duo with Milena Rasic and Robin de Cruijf, departing from the ‘squadra of Nordmeccanica’. Italians of Piacenza and RC Cannes, a team guided by the legendary Yan Fang, will fight for 2nd place in the power ranking and the team will win that will manage to match proper personal puzzles in the most optimal way cause Nordmeccanica as well as RC Cannes are crossing over pretty serious squad modifications. Partizan Beograd completes the last pool. This team probably brings youth and intransigence in the game, but it’s hard to expect too many victories from its side.
Pool A
- Dinamo Kazan (RUS)
- Rabita Baku (AZE)
- Chemik Popice (POL)
- Agel Prostejov (CZE)
Pool B
- Fenerbahce Istanbul (TUR)
- Azeryol Baku (AZE)
- Nantes VB (FRA)
- Stiinta Bacau (ROU)
Pool C
- Dinamo Moscow (RUS)
- Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio (ITA)
- Dresdner SC (GER)
- LP Salo (FIN)
Pool D
- Eczacibasi VitrA Istanbul (TUR)
- Omichka Omsk Region (RUS)
- Impel Wroclaw (POL)
- Volero Zurich (SUI)
Pool E
- VakifBank Istanbul (TUR)
- Nordmeccanica Piacanza (ITA)
- RC Cannes (FRA)
- Partizan Vizura Beograd (SRB)
The Viennese Men’s Champions League drawing led to an unprecedented event. Three winners of the European Cup of the previous season were paired in the same group, hence this compilation can ‘sew a patch of bloody’. Club world champions of Belogorie Belgorod, Paris Volley, CEV Cup winner, and Fenerbahce Istanbul checked in Pool E. As if that was not enough, Cucine Lube Treia (former Macerata) was selected for the trio. The natural favorite to win seems to be the defending champion. Belogorie remains in an almost identical composition in comparison to the fantastic last season, so Gyorgy Grozer, Dimitriy Muserskiy, and Sergey Tetyukhin will constitute the strength of the Russian giants. A completely different realities prevailing in Feberbahce and Cucine Lube, since both teams lost their main points contributors. Ivan Miljkovic and well-known Felipe Fonteles said good bye in Turkey and one of the best opposites in the world, Ivan Zaytsev, changed Italy to Moscow. Fenerbahce’s manages gave a job for Wout Wijsmans and Milos Nikic, but Lube Treia, that took Alessandro Fei instead of Zaytsev, looks more ‘richly’, at least theoretically. No one should underestimate the players from the capital of France because they have proved a few months ago that they can beat teams with much bigger potential.
A few weeks ago, it was said that Copra Piacenza is on the curb of bankruptcy and arguably stop to exist, but fortunately, fans from the region of Emilia-Romagna can take a deep breath and expect further duels in the Champions League. However, Copra players are unlikely to be the favorite to win Group A, although they will not have to deal with powers of Russia, Turkey or Poland. They are awaited to face well-overacted and unpredictable champions of Belgium – Knack Roeselare – and taking into account numerous departures (e.g. De Cecco, Fei, Simon), the Belgians should prevail the contest, unless Tomis Constanta or Dragons Lugano pull the plans rug from under people’s feet.
“Our group is strong. Surely, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk triumphed in the Champions League a year ago, and we have recently been third”, said Zdzisław Grodecki, the president of Jastrzebski Wegiel – pool B member. It is a little bit of courtesy in this statement as the Spanish, CAI Teruel, and Bulgarians, Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa, should not be too demanding opponents for the Poles and the Russians. The winner should be emerged from among these two nations. Lokomotiv maintained its line-up, making few cosmetic adjustments, similarly like Jastrzebski Wegiel, which contracted Denis Kaliberda of Piacenza, but probably will lose its leader Michael Kubiak.
Group C is composed by a quarter-finalist, two participants of 1/16 phase and ACH Volley Ljubljana, which was eliminated in the group stage last season. The ‘favorite role’ will fall to Resovia. Polish team is going to improve the result of the previous edition, as a minimum personal strengthened its composition having bought the CEV Cup MVP – Marko Ivovic. Red-Whites will have a chance for revenge over the team from Montenegrin Riviera of Budva because Budvanska beat the Poles twice a year ago. Replenishment, however very important replenishment, is a team of the capital of Germany – Recycling Volleys. Mark Lebedev’s side may has aspirations rubbing his head first place in the main round.
Great wing-spikers, Wilfredo Leon and Matthew Anderson, will lead to the triumph of Zenit Kazan in Group D of the Volleyball Champions League. It seems that the Russian champion has finally built a proper composition to return to the glory and not only do they want to win the group stage, but also to finally gain most precious trophy. In order to realize this scenario, Zenit have to up against Germans, VFB Friedrichshafen, with a new and old playmaker Simon Tischer, who pulled the team to victory in the Champions League in 2007, Olympiacos Piaeus and Posojilnica AICH / DOB.
Taking advantage the cycling terminology, you can observe one favorite escaping from three teams peloton. The leader of the race for the yellow jersey, awarded with play-off spacing, will be PGE Skra Belchatow, returning to the Champions League after a year break. Polish champion will probably present a quick and effective style of play based on a good reception, which will be ensured by Michal Winiarski, unpredictable sets by Nicolas Uriarte and attacks closed by Mariusz Wlazły and Facundo Conte. This style will be contrasted by Precure Antwerp, Hypo Tirol Innsbruck and Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice and then these teams will fight for the title of the most active team race that will advance to the next round.
To say anything meaningful about the group G is not possible at this time. Sir Safery Perugia, Halkbank Ankara, Tours VB and Noliko Maaseik will play out there and you could try to create skills and potential hierarchy of these teams, but it is not possible to do any estimation due to open transfers window and still uncompleted roster holes. Obviously, Italians and Turks appear as candidates for promotion, but in particular the others are at the construction moment. It is not clear who will change Matey Kaziyski on the left wing and who will be settled down on the position no. 4 instead of Mitar Djuric. These doubts will be solved within several weeks, but you can be sure that Halkbank will be strong again. Whether strong enough to overtake Tours VB with new acquisition (Oleg Antonov) directly from Bre Lannutti or Noliko Maaseik? Probably yes, but it is not known if the new team of Turkey will be able to overcome the vice–champion of Italy with Luciano de Cecco or Alaksandar Atanasijević at the helm.
DenizBank Men’s Champions League:
Pool A
- Copra Elior Piacenza (ITA)
- Knack Roeselare (BEL)
- Tomis Constanta (ROU)
- Dragons Lugano (SUI)
Pool B
- Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL)
- Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
- CAI Teruel (ESP)
- Marek Union-Ivkoni Dupnitsa (BUL)
Pool C
- Asseco Resovia Rzeszow (POL)
- Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER)
- ACH Volley Ljibljana (SLO)
- Budvanska Rivijera Budva (MNE)
Pool D
- Zenit Kazan (RUS)
- VfB Friedrichshafen(GER)
- Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE)
- Posojilnica AICH/DOB (AUT)
Pool E
- Cucine Lube Treia (ITA)
- Fenerbahce Grundig Istanbul (TUR)
- Paris Volley (FRA)
- Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
Pool F
- PGE Skra Belchatow (POL)
- Precura Antwerp (BEL)
- Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT)
- Jihostroj Ceske Budejovice (CZE)
Pool G
- Sir Satefy Perugia (ITA)
- Halkbank Ankara (TUR)
- Tours VB (FRA)
- Noliko Maaseik (BEL)
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