Palma de Mallorca, Spain, March 12, 2006. In the final of the men’s Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup 2005/06 in Palma de Mallorca (ESP) Italian Copra PIACENZA beat the local team Portol Son Amar PALMA in a thrilling five set match. The bronze medal match was won 3:1 by Greek Panathinaikos ATHENS facing Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG). 

Final: Copra PIACENZA (ITA) vs. Portol Son Amar PALMA (ESP) 3:2 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 15-9)
Best scorers: Ventceslav Simeonov (Copra PIACENZA/24 points), Sebastien Ruette (Portol Son Amar PALMA/22 points), Leonel Marshall (Copra PIACENZA/20 points)

The home team started off more consistently, being successful in attack ad block, as well as defending effectively (13-15, 14-18, 16-21). Although PIACENZA closed the gap thanks to two consecutive blocks by captain Nikola Grbic and Vigor Bovolenta (19-21), the locals secured the first set after a smash by Gustavo Porporatto (20-24) and a trick shot by captain Miguel Angel Falasca (21-25).
During the second set the Italians kept the upper hand, retaining a small lead throughout (14-11, 16-12, 20-16), especially thanks to Cuban Leonel Marshall and Maikel Cristobal Cardona. Ventceslav Simeonov aced for the first set point (24-19) followed by a successful attack by Joao Paolo Bravo (25-19).
Marshall attacked twice to give his team a small advantage (7-5), but Sebastien Ruette on the other side balanced the score (7-7). Two aces by Marshall (15-12) and attacks by Simeonov, Grbic and Cardona resulted to 23-20 before Vigor Bovolenta blocked for the first set point (24-20). An error by Jose Luis Molto gave PIACENZA the 2:1 lead (25-20).
PALMA managed to increase their beginning lead in the fourth set follwed by Stephane Antiga’s blocking action (8-12) and helped by the Italians’ shaky serves (11-16). Whereas Ruette spiked ‘in’, Cardona spiked ‘out’ (14-20). Marshall shortened PALMA’s lead (18-22), but Antiga scored twice (19-24). Cardona successfully defended the first set point (20-24) before Grbic failed on serve (20-25), providing for a deciding fifth set.
In the all-deciding tiebreak PALMA took a first lead (0-2) but Cardona helped his team back with a successful attack and block (4-4). Two spikes by Marshall turned the score in PIACENZA’s favour (6-4). Marshall and Bravo spiked to icrease the Italians’ lead (9-5), whilst Falasca smashed ‘out’ (10-5). Simeonov attacked twice with success followed by an ace (14-7). Antiga defended the opponent’s first match point, whist the second was given away by Simeonov. But the same one seized the subsequent point with a smash (15-9).

Francesco Dall’Olio (PIACENZA head coach): “PALMA played very strong in this game. The deciding factor for the victory of our team was the spike. Overall, I’m very pleased with our game.”
Nikola Grbic (PIACENZA captain): “I’m very satisfied with the victory. It’s the first European trophy the club has won, which is important for the team’s spirit and the conviction that we are able to win and do more. The match today was in particular difficult because we also had a tough match the day before. As soon as we pulled away in the tiebreak, it became easier for us to achieve victory.”

Marcelo Mendez (PALMA head coach): “We had to play a high level, especially in the tiebreak. The two defenses were the break-up of the tiebreak. They are an excellent team and I’m very content with the work of my team. Our main problem is that we don’t get to play many teams on our level.”
Miguel Angel Falasca (PALMA captain): “We did what we could. Our opponent is very strong, in particular regarding physical power. They set us under pressure with powerful attacks. Once they pulled away by three or four points, it was difficult to catch up again. I’m a little disappointed as last year we also lost a European Cup final in a tiebreak, namely the CEV Cup against Lube MACERATA. However, we know that we are not far from their level.”

Bronze medal match: Panathinaikos ATHENS (GRE) vs. Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD (SCG) 3:1 (25-16, 25-27, 26-24, 25-21)
Best scorers: Ernardo Gomez (Panathinaikos ATHENS/20 points), Dejan Bojovic (Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD/20 points), Branko Roljic (Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD/17 points), Dante Amaral (Panathinaikos ATHENS/16 points)

Greek Panathinaikos ATHENS took the bronze medal after beating Vojvodina Novolin NOVI SAD from Serbia Montenegro in a more than expected contested match. Precise attacks, in particular by Venezuelan Ernardo Gomez, decided the first set in ATHENS’ favour (25-16).
NOVI SAD became more confident in the second set, leading the Greek favourites by one point (17-18), but not for long. Panathinaikos turned the score (22-23, 23-24) claiming their first set point. Thanks to Marko Narancic the Serbia Montenegrins levelled 24-24, followed by their first set point (24-25). At 25-25 Marko Podascranin provided for NOVI SAD’s second set point which the underdogs won with a killer block (25-27).

NOVI SAD didn’t make it easy for the Greeks, performing stronger than the previous day and pulling through their game consequently. Nevertheless, ATHENS took the important 2:1 lead winning the third set with two points difference (26-24).

Advancing with a maximum of seven points during the fourth set (8-15, 9-16), NOVI SAD were unstoppable in attack as well as block, on their way to a tiebreak. However, the team coached by Carlos Javier Weber proved their international experience by managing to come back (21-20) to finally claim the third place after an ace by Viktor Kouroupis (25-21).

Photo Gallery

Individual Awards:

MVP: Leonel Marshall (Copra PIACENZA)
Best Scorer: Sebastien Ruette (Portol Son Amar PALMA)
Best Spiker: Ventceslav Simeonov (Copra PIACENZA)
Best Server: Ventceslav Simeonov (Copra PIACENZA)
Best Blocker: Jose Luis Molto (Portol Son Amar PALMA)
Best Setter: Nikola Grbic (Copra PIACENZA)
Best Libero: Sergio Dutra dos Santos (Copra PIACENZA)

Men’s Austrian Airlines Top Teams Cup 2005/06
Final Four in Palma de Mallorca (ESP)
Results

Final

Bronze medal match

Semi-finals