ECZACIBASI RETURNS TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Women's Indesit European Champions League 2005/06

Istanbul, Turkey, October 18, 2005. Turkish Eczacibasi ISTANBUL returns to this prestigious competition for the fifth time after one year’s absence. Drawn into Pool B the team will confront teams from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Russia. 

At the press conference attended by the players and the technical staff Eczacibasi’s manager Selcan Teoman stated that a challenging season is awaiting the club: “Although the younger squad has yet to reach the desired technical and physical levels, I’m sure that they will achieve the desired performance soon.”

Team captain Bahar Mert commented that she will be taking on the task of captain in addition to her duties as a setter and that she will do her best to achieve success in both. “The team is composed of young but very skilled players”, she added, “We need to establish cohesion as a team. I believe that we will be successful.”

Everything is prepared in order for the team to accelerate in the IECL. Eczacibasi’s Brazilian Technical Director Marco Aurelio Motta added: “Our task is to create the best team of this group. We possess of a much better team than last year.”

Vahilde Palantoken
Press Officer
Eczacibasi ISTANBUL

 

“EVERY GAME IS IMPORTANT”

Perugia, Italy, October 18, 2005. Countdown for the first match for Italian champion Pallavolo Sirio PERUGIA. The red and white team will encounter Polish champion Calisia KALISZ in their first match in Pool B on Tuesday, 18th October 2005.

Top scorer Antonina Zetova and her team Pallavolo Sirio PERUGIA consider their chances to beat KALISZ fairly high, even though KALISZ have booked their second straight set victory in the Polish National League.

“Every game is very important in order to reach a place in the quarterfinal”, stated PERUGIA’s head coach Massimo Barbolini, “We have been working very hard during this time, but I’m sure we will still improve.”

Whilst Polish middle blocker Maria Liktoras is one of the most important players in KALISZ, PERUGIA lines up 2000 Olympic Champion Mirka Francia from Cuba, 2005 European Champion Dorota Swieniewicz from Poland as well as 2005 European Vice Champion Simona Gioli from Italy.

Alberto Aglietti
Press Officer
Pallavolo Sirio PERUGIA

HOTEL CANTUR MEETS NOVICE CAT TROFA

Las Palmas, Spain, October 18, 2005. Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS and CAT TROFA will play on Wednesday, 20th October 2005 at 20.00hrs local time at the sports centre in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Hotel Cantur is the favourite to win this match being more experienced than the Portuguese team who are making their debut in this competition. CAT TROFA is the first Portuguese team ever to participate in the Indesit European Champions’ League.

“We know that it won’t be easy to win”, commented LAS PALMAS head coach Sergio Camarero, “CAT TROFA are a good team but we have our chances and we are going to take advantage of it. The most important thing is that we have the will to win.”

Jorge Peris
Press Officer
Hotel Cantur LAS PALMAS

 

AZERRAIL BAKU PLAYING FIRST MATCH ON NATIONAL DAY

Baku, Azerbaijan, October 18, 2005. In this season Azerrail BAKU is composed of many young players with whom the Azerbaijan champion is striving for success in the Indesit European Champions League.

Players to mention are Kseniya Poznyak, Lada Maksimova and Maryna Gorchanyuk from the Ukraine who will strengthen Azerrail BAKU’s defence. The main focus of BAKU’s trainer staff before the World Championship and the Grand Prix will be on the young players.

According to Naylan Ural, manager of the Turkish team, Vakifbank Günes ISTANBUL is not in a very good shape right now but nevertheless will strive to demonstrate all of their potentials.

Zohrab Gozalbayli
Press Officer
Azerrail BAKU