FAVORITES WIN OPENING MATCHES

Indesit European Champions' League 2004/05

Luxembourg, 5 November 2004. The favorites for the Men’s Indesit European Champions’ League title didn’t disappoint their fans during the opening week of the world’s strongest club competition with TOURS VB (FRA), Noliko MAASEIK (BEL), Italian Sisley TREVISO and French PARIS Volley all winning their first match. Defending champion Lokomotiv BELGOROD from Russia will start its campaign to win the Indesit European Champions’ League for the third time running next week. 

One of the most interesting matches in the opening week of the Indesit European Champions’ League was the Pool D clash between Belgian Knack ROESELARE and French PARIS Volley, the 2001 winner. After an exciting match of almost two hours of play it was the French team who took the 3-2 victory. At first it looked as though PARIS Volley would win the match easily, but after losing the first two sets Knack ROESELARE bounced back. PARIS Volley finally claimed the victory by winning the fifth set tiebreaker 15-11. Nouredine Hfaiedh was by far the best player on court making 24 points.

Sisley TREVISO had a tough time in Spain facing Unicaja ALMERIA in Pool C. After a spectacular battle it was the Italian team who clinched the 3-1 victory in this tough group. Alexandro Fei was the king of the court with 25 points. Sisley TREVISO will be fighting TOURS VB from France for the first position in Pool C. The French team reached the Final Four of the Indesit European Champions’ League last year and outplayed Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK from Austria in their first match (3-0). For the Austrian team it was the first ever match in the Indesit European Champions’ League. ‘There are no easy opponents in this event’, said Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK coach Emanuele Zanini.

Belgian Noliko MAASEIK opened the Indesit European Champions’ League with an important 3-0 away victory against Polish Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC. The team of the Swedish coach Anders Kristiansson are really eager to reach the Final Four for the first time in five years. The start for Noliko MAASEIK couldn’t have been better with the Belgian champion nailing their opponent in just more than one hour. Brazilian Joao Paulo Bravo was the best scorer with 14 points.
Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS), Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE), Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT) and Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL) were the other winners in the first leg of the league round of the Men’s Indesit European Champions’ League.

Play continues on Tuesday with two extremely interesting matches scheduled. In Pool A, Noliko MAASEIK will play at home against Iraklis THESSALONIKI on Wednesday. Both teams won their first match easily and this clash should indicate which team is the strongest in Pool A. Another surely spectacular match will be the clash between Copra Volley PIACENZA from Italy and Knack ROESELARE. This Pool D match is scheduled for Tuesday.
At the same time, the Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League will start. Defending champion TENERIFE Marichal from Spain will play at home against Turkish Besiktas ISTANBUL in Pool B.


Men’s Indesit European Champions’ League 2004/2005
Results first leg

Preliminary Pool A

Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE) - VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER)	3-0	25-22, 25-21, 25-21
Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC (POL) - Noliko MAASEIK (BEL)	0-3	19-25, 16-25, 17-25

 
Preliminary Pool B

Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT) - JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A. (POL)	3-1	25-19, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20
Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG) - Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL)	2-3	22-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, 13-15

 
Preliminary Pool C

TOURS VB (FRA) - Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (AUT)	3-0	25-23, 25-22, 25-15
Unicaja ALMERIA (ESP) - Sisley TREVISO (ITA)	1-3	23-25, 18-25, 25-18, 18-25

Preliminary Pool D

Knack ROESELARE (BEL) - PARIS Volley (FRA)	2-3	20-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 11-15
Lokomotiv KHARKIV (UKR) - Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS)	0-3	20-25, 19-25, 20-25

Match schedule (all times are local)
Men’s Indesit European Champions’ League

Tuesday, 9 November 2004

Pool B

2000	JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A. (POL) - Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG)

Pool D

2030	PARIS Volley (FRA) -  Lokomotiv KHARKIV (UKR)
2030	Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA) - Knack ROESELARE (BEL)

Wednesday, 10 November 2004

Pool A

2030	Noliko MAASEIK (BEL) - Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE)

Pool B

1700	Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE) - Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT)

Pool C

1900	SCC BERLIN (GER) - TOURS VB (FRA)
2015	Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (AUT) - Unicaja ALMERIA (ESP)

Thursday 11 November 2004

Pool A

1800	Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS) - Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC (POL)

Women’s Indesit European Champions’ League

Wednesday 10 November 2004

Pool A

1530	Günes Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR) - Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS (ESP)
1800	Uralochka NTMK EKATERINBURG (RUS) - Foppapedretti BERGAMO (ITA)
2030	RC CANNES (FRA) - Stal BIELSKO-BIALA (POL)

Pool B

1800	Calisia Winiary KALISZ (POL) - Azerrail BAKU (AZE)
2000	TENERIFE Marichal (ESP) - Besiktas ISTANBUL (TUR)
2030	Sant'Orsola Asystel NOVARA (ITA) - Crvena Zvezda BEOGRAD (SCG)

More on the web at www.cev.lu

Enjoy & Be There:
9-11 November 2004: Indesit European Champions League Women 1st leg, Men 2nd leg, League Round, Various.
9-11 November 2004: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 1st leg League Round, Various.
9-11 November 2004: Top Teams Cup Women, 1st leg, League Round, Various.
12-14 November 2004: CEV Cup Men & Women, 2nd round tournaments, Various.
16-18 November 2004: Indesit European Champions League Women 2nd leg, Men 3rd leg, League Round, Various.
16-18 November 2004: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 2nd leg League Round, Various.
16-18 November 2004: Top Teams Cup Women, 2nd leg, League Round, Various.
23-25 November 2004: Indesit European Champions League Women 3rd leg, Men 4th leg, League Round, Various.
23-25 November 2004: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 3rd leg League Round, Various.
23-25 November 2004: Top Teams Cup Women, 3rd leg, League Round, Various.
27 November 2004: Women’s Senior European Championships 2005 Final Round Drawing of Lots, Zagreb, Croatia.
30 November - 2 December 2004: Indesit European Champions League Women 4th leg, Men 5th leg, League Round, Various.
30 November - 2 December 2004: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 4th leg League Round, Various.
30 November - 2 December 2004: Top Teams Cup Women, 4th leg, League Round, Various.
7-9 December 2004: Indesit European Champions League Women 5th leg, Men 6th leg, League Round, Various.
7-9 December 2004: Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup Men, 5th leg League Round, Various.
7-9 December 2004:Top Teams Cup Women, 5th leg, League Round, Various.
7-9 December 2004: CEV Cup Men & Women, 1/8 final, Home matches.