TWO FORMER CHAMPIONS DEFEATED DURING THIRD LEG

Men's Indesit European Champions League 2004/05

Luxembourg, November 19, 2004. Two former Men’s Indesit European Champions’ League champions were defeated during the third leg of the world’s strongest club competition. Lokomotiv BELGOROD from Russia, winner in 2003 and 2004, lost its away match against the strong Greek team of Iraklis THESSALONIKI (3:1) and PARIS Volley from France, the team that took the title in 2001, was nailed 3:0 by Russian Dinamo MOSCOW. 

Iraklis THESSALONIKI has so far never won the Indesit European Champions’ League but possesses a very good record in this event, reaching several Final Fours. In this week’s action Iraklis THESSALONIKI confirmed its strong status, continuing its winning streak by defeating the Russian giants Lokomotiv BELGOROD 3:1 in Pool A which makes the Greek team the only one to have won all of their three matches in the Indesit European Champions’ League. US attacker Clayton Stanley from Iraklis THESSALONIKI was the best scorer with 24 points. On the Russian side both Sergey Tetyukhin and Serguei Baranov scored 13 points. “This is a very important victory for us”, Iraklis THESSALONIKI coach Alekos Leonis said. “We will definitely celebrate this win as we beat the two times champion.” Zoran Gajic, who was appointed by head coach and club owner Gennady Shipulin, coached the Russian side: “Iraklis THESSALONIKI is a very tough team and can win against every opponent”, Gajic stated, “The level of the Indesit European Champions’ League is extremely high this year and we really have to fight hard to win a match.”



Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) booked its second straight set victory in Pool D of the Indesit European Champions’ League by defeating French PARIS Volley, one of the highlights of the third leg of the world’s strongest club competition. In the same group Italian Copra Volley PIACENZA booked its first victory by winning the away match against Lokomotiv KHARKIV from the Ukraine (3:0).
The former champion Sisley TREVISO from Italy definitely wants to win the title once more. Their second victory, the win against Austrian rookie Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (3:0) in Pool C, has taken them a step further in reaching their aim. The leading scorer was Alessandro Fei with 14 points. “It was a good match for us and I am satisfied with the performance”, Sisley TREVISO coach Daniele Bagnoli said. “It’s looking good for us on the way to winning the Indesit European Champions’ League once again”, Sisley TREVISO captain Samuele Papi stated, “However, we also know that each team playing in this competition is very strong.”


Eight more matches are scheduled for the fourth leg which commences on Tuesday. The Pool D clash between Copra Volley PIACENZA and Dinamo MOSCOW is important for both teams in order to stay in the competition whilst the match between Pool C leaders Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT) and Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG) on Wednesday will also be of interest.




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

Preliminary Pool A

VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) - Noliko MAASEIK (BEL)	3 :1	25-19, 26-28, 37-35, 25-22
Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE) - Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS)	3 :1	25-19, 25-21, 24-26, 27-25

Preliminary Pool B

Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL) - JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A. (POL)	0 :3	23-25, 11-25, 20-25
Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG) - Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE)	1 :3	25-18, 19-25, 17-25, 18-25

Preliminary Pool C

Sisley TREVISO (ITA) - Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (AUT)	3 :0	25-20, 25-18, 25-21
Unicaja ALMERIA (ESP) - SCC BERLIN (GER)	3 :0	26-24, 25-22, 25-22

Preliminary Pool D

Lokomotiv KHARKIV (UKR) - Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA)	0 :3	19-25, 19-25, 19-25
Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) - PARIS Volley (FRA)	3 :0	25-19, 25-22, 25-14

Pool Ranking after 3rd leg

	Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D
1.	Iraklis THESSALONIKI	Aon hotVolleys VIENNA	Sisley TREVISO	PARIS Volley
2.	Noliko MAASEIK	Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD	TOURS VB	Copra Volley PIACENZA
3.	Lokomotiv BELGOROD	JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel S.S.A.	Unicaja ALMERIA	Knack ROESELARE
4.	VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN	Panathinaikos ATHENS	Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK	Lokomotiv KHARKIV
5.	Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC	Levski Siconco SOFIA	SCC BERLIN	Dinamo MOSCOW

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

Tuesday 23 November 2004

Pool A	18.00	Lokomotiv BELGOROD (RUS) - VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER)
Pool B	18.00	Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE) - Levski Siconco SOFIA (BUL)
Pool D	20.30	Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA) - Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS)

Wednesday 24 November 2004

Pool B	20.15	Aon hotVolleys VIENNA (AUT) - Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG)
Pool C	19.00	SCC BERLIN (GER) - Sisley TREVISO (ITA)
Pool D	20.30	Knack ROESELARE (BEL) - Lokomotiv KHARKIV (UKR)

Thursday 25 November 2004

Pool A	18.00	Polska Energia SOSNOWIEC (POL) - Iraklis THESSALONIKI (GRE)
Pool C	20.00	TOURS VB (FRA) - Unicaja ALMERIA (ESP)