Stellar match featuring TRENTINO and Dinamo MOSCOW will trigger off the New Year

2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League

Luxembourg, January 4, 2010. After having enjoyed a hopefully relaxing and pleasant Christmas time, the European Volleyball elite is back in action on Tuesday night with four matches that will trigger off a very exciting rush to finally work out the line-up for the Playoffs 12. All die-hard Volleyball fans could not ask for more since the New Year opens with a real highlight featuring the titleholders of TRENTINO BetClic and traditional Russian powerhouse Dinamo MOSCOW. After their shocking 0:3 defeat in Italy in late December, the guys of coach Yuri Cherednik will be certainly striving for a very much different outcome on home soil. With the Austrians of Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK also seeking revenge against Budvanska Rivijera BUDVA, on Tuesday night two teams competing in the ladies division, i.e. ASPTT MULHOUSE and Aluprof BIELSKO-BIALA, will be both trying to have a shot at their first victory in the 2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League.
All matches – but this is now a kind of “tradition” – will be live-streamed at www.laola1.tv  
For additional info, including schedules and provisional standings, click here

Preview

Men

Defending champion TRENTINO BetClic will travel to Russia to face on Tuesday night Dinamo MOSCOW in a match that plays a key role in defining the provisional – and in a way also final – standings in Pool A. In case of a victory, the Russians will climb up to the first place, but if they lose, they will increasingly risk missing their qualification for the Playoffs. Keeping in mind that TRENTINO also seized the FIVB Club World Championship this past November in Doha and is still undefeated in the Champions League, Dinamo will need a great performance to seize the night. The freezing Russian capital will be welcoming the Italians, with their superstar Matey Kaziyski and coach Radostin Stoytchev being however well used to that demanding climate as they spent two years in Moscow, namely at Dinamo.

In Pool C Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK of Austria resumes on Tuesday night its campaign in the 2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League against Budvanska Rivijera BUDVA. After the conceivably tight 2:3 defeat in Montenegro, the Tyroleans burn at home on the revenge. A victory in the home game against the direct competitor is simultaneously a "must" for making it into the Playoffs and to preserve further good and honest chances on rank 2 in the group. INNSBRUCK is currently ranked third after the three legs that were staged before the traditional Christmas break. With a victory against BUDVA and a simultaneous win for Italian Lube Banca Marche MACERATA against the Belgians of Noliko MAASEIK, the Tyroleans can get back on second place in the Pool. The preparation over the Christmas and New Year break passed very well and the team is in excellent shape. After the exciting game in Budva, a very good and constant performance will be necessary in Innsbruck in order to be able to bring in the so important and hoped victory.

Women

In Pool B France’s ASPTT MULHOUSE will face Scavolini PESARO at the Palais des Sports. After three legs the hosts are still looking for their first victory whereas the Italians, with an eventual successful performance in France, would clip a spot for the Playoffs 12. After a shaky end of the year, the French team is currently ranked third in the national league and is striving for enjoying a good start in the New Year. French coach Magali Magail says: “It’s a difficult game, we know that but we want to move on after the troubles we have been facing, so it will be an important test for the team after the Christmas break”. “We have rested well” adds Armelle Faesch. “After a difficult end of the year we want to make a new start against PESARO”.

In Pool C Aluprof BIELSKO-BIALA starts the year 2010 with a clash against a very strong rival, i.e. FenerbahceAcibadem ISTANBUL of Turkey, that is still undefeated so far in the Champions League. This match will be a very big challenge for the hosts of Aluprof since they have not seized any single match this season in the CICL whereas the Turks are in top form. The Turkish champion ended all its three matches with a comfortable triumph without losing any single set. FenerbahceAcibadem also plays phenomenally in the national league, where the team is currently ranked first. Apart from Russian star and spiker Ekaterina Gamova, the Turks have also a very talented setter, young rising star Naz Aydemir. The fans in Bielsko-Biala are preparing for another great volleyball night. It is worth mentioning that Aluprof will enter this important clash with a new coach, Mariusz Wiktorowicz. For Wiktorowicz, the previous assistant, this is likely to be a unique match. “We know that FenerbahceAcibadem is a very strong team and it will be difficult to take a win. I also think that we have a chance to put up a balanced rivalry in front of our fans. After the match in Istanbul we know many things about our opponent and we are going to make a surprise” commented Wiktorowicz. Despite the strength of the Turkish team, the hosts have nothing to lose. A possible success may bring them closer to qualify for the Playoffs. “We are looking ahead with optimism and believe in much better results for all our rematches” adds Polish spiker Natalia Bamber.