TOURS AIMING TO RETAIN POOL B LEADERSHIP

Men's Indesit European Champions' League 2005/06

Tours, France, December 6, 2005. In Preliminary Pool B of the Indesit European Champions’ League the match between defending champion TOURS VB and the German champion VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN takes an important stand for the hosting club.

In case of a victory the French team will remain leader of Pool B, making a very big step towards qualification for the competition play off.

Following their last match on Friday in the French Championship, the club staff are not too confident. Although TOURS VB finally won, they only obtained the 3:2 victory with a lot of difficulty. Bulgarian Vladimir Nikolov, the hopeful opposite of the club and MVP of the 2004/05 IECL final didn’t seem to be in the best shape scoring a mere eight points during the fifth set.

Unfortunately, Algerian player Hichem Guemmadi injured his ankle during this match, not being able to compete on Tuesday.

The match is scheduled on Tuesday, 6th December 2005 at 20.30hrs in the Grenon Arena, expecting a large public.

François Rinie
Press Officer
TOURS VB

 

LOKOMOTIV BELGOROD VISITING PODGORICA

Podgorica, Serbia & Montenegro, December 5, 2005. The champions of Serbia & Montenegro are still without victory in Pool D of the Indesit European Champions' League. Buducnost PODGORICKA Banka will try to overcome Lokomotiv BELGOROD from Russia, who have only experienced one defeat in three matches. The match will be played in "Moraca" hall with a capacity of 4’300 seats.

After almost a month of rest, Buducnost PODGORICKA Banka are returning to their task in the European club scene. On Wednesday evening the champions of Serbia & Montenegro will face double IECL titleholder Lokomotiv BELGOROD from Russia in the fifth leg Indesit European Champions' League match. At present, Buducnost PODGORICKA Banka remain without a victory, standing at the bottom of Pool D.

Lokomotiv BELGOROD on the other side have two victories and one defeat, being one of the big favourites in this match. It remains to be seen whether the host will manage to put pressure onto the Russian team, as they did in the previous match in Poland facing BOT Skra BELCHATOW.

The first success in this year’s Indesit European Champions' League would positively improve the atmosphere in the club, increasing the chances of reaching fourth place in Pool D, which is their aim.

"If we don’t win in the national league, it is difficult to believe that we are able to beat a strong opponent like Lokomotiv BELGOROD”, stated Igor Kolakovic, head coach of Buducnost PODGORICKA Banka, "The Russian champion is the absolute favourite. The match will be a great opportunity for the spectators to enjoy watching great players as Tetyukhin, Baranov, Khamuttskikh and others. We are hoping to play a good game and to be more relaxed than in the game against PERUGIA."

The match is scheduled for Wednesday, 7th December at 18.30hrs in the "Moraca" hall in Podgorica, televised in Montenegro on RTV Crna Gora - Drugi program.

Sasa Joncic
Press Officer
Buducnost PODGORICKA Banka

DINAMO MOSCOW GO FOR THIRD VICTORY

Moscow, Russia, December 5, 2005. Current Pool B second Dinamo MOSCOW are ready to go for the third straight victory in the Indesit European Champions´ League. The Russian team will face Olympiacos PIRAEUS from Greece, another candidate for a place in the last sixteen. The match will be played in the “Dinamo” sports hall, the home base of head coach Vladimir Alekno’s formation.

For Dinamo, the clash against one of Greece’s best teams is the second home match in the preliminary round. A victory is needed to be qualified for the 1/8 final.

At present Dinamo MOSCOW is leading the Russian Championship and the team is looking forward to the match against the Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup 2004/05 champion Olympiacos PIRAEUS.

Scheduled for Wednesday evening at 19.00hrs the match promises some spectacular action.

Anna Popova
Press Officer
Dinamo MOSCOW

TWO STRUGGLING TEAMS HOPING TO FIND THEIR RHYTHM

Düren, Germany, December 6, 2005. German vice champion evivo DÜREN as well as their next IECL opponent French champion AS CANNES haven’t been playing at their best in the national leagues over the previous weeks.

Both teams had to deal with injury and health problems. As a result, evivo DÜREN experienced many problems dealing with outsider teams in Germany. Still, the Indesit European Champions’ League novice is ranked second in the national competition, whilst in France, where the level in the premier league is regarded higher than in Germany, the reigning champions find themselves on eighth spot.

After two wins and one defeat evivo DÜREN want to secure al least fourth place in the IECL Preliminary Pool C with a third success. On the other hand, CANNES (one win, two defeats) will try to draw level with the German squad, thus staying in the race for second and third place in order to qualify for the next round. “The pressure is on CANNES”, DÜREN’s captain Sven Anton said. “We have already reached more than a lot of people expected. Now we can play without pressure and enjoy.”

The match will start at 19.30hrs in the Arena Kreis Düren.


Guido Jansen
Press officer
evivo Düren

“OUR MOST IMPORTANT MATCH SO FAR THIS SEASON!”

Innsbruck, Austria, December 6, 2005. Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK will meet Belgian Champion Knack Randstad ROESELARE in their fourth match in the Indesit European Champions League this Tuesday, 6th December at 20.15hrs local time in Innsbruck. The match might already bring a decision for both teams.

“It will surely bring a decision in our case”, stated managing director Hannes Kronthaler, who describes this match as “the most important of the whole season”.

“Following our first victory in the Champions’ League against ROTTERDAM and our recent win against Austria’s second Champions’ League participant aon hotVolleys VIENNA we are all ready for the encounter with the Belgians”, he added, “A win is vital for us and everybody will give their all to achieve this.”

The top position for Hypo Tirol, who are currently last with one win and two defeats, is within two points. Knack ROESELARE is currently third with two wins and one defeat.

Hypo Tirol head coach Pietro Scarduzio declared: “I expect a tough and difficult match against ROESELARE. My team are well prepared and I hope we are able to achieve our second win.”

New in INNSBRUCK’s line up is Brazilian Guilherme Neves Barbosa. At the same time, the contract with Ukrainian player Olexandre Chadtchyn was resolved on mutual agreement.

The match begins at 20.15hrs local time in Innsbruck, broadcast live on ORF/TW1.

Michael Weiss
Press Officer
Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK

EMU RPA PERUGIA LOOKING FOR THIRD VICTORY

Perugia, Italy, December 6, 2005. On Thursday at 20.30hrs local time EMU RPA PERUGIA will face the last opponent of Pool D. From next week onwards the return matches will begin kicking off with the Polish opponent from BELCHATOW.

The team coached by Massimo Caponeri is quite satisfied due to their last victory in the Italian Championship facing LATINA, now being ready to beat Skra BELCHATOW who were able to overcome Lokomotiv BELGOROD.

"We must defend our position in the ranking", declared Caponeri, "Iif we manage to win, we'll be sure of going on to the next round. The Indesit European Champions' League is one of our most important targets this year. I truly believe we will perform well."

The Polish team is well known: The Stelmach brothers played together in the Italian Championship in PADOVA, whilst spikers Winiarski and Wlazly are Swiderski's colleagues in the Polish national team.

The starting list:

EMU RPA PERUGIA: Tofoli-Hernandez, Lebl-Di Franco, Swiderski-Vujevic; Messana (L). Head coach: Caponeri

BOT SKRA BELCHATOW: Stelmach-Wlazly, Wnuk-Szczerbaniuk, Winiarski-Stelmach; Ignaczak (L). Head coach: Mazur

 

Referees: Barnstorf (Germany) and Deregnaucourt (France)


Eleonora Cozzari
Press Officer
EMU RPA PERUGIA