The last few details are being taken care of in Bolzano’s PalaOnda before hosting the Champions League Final Four in two days time.
The first one to test the arena will be the Polish side of Jastrzebski Wegiel coached by Lorenzo Bernardi, which will train at 1.30pm. Trentino will follow, then Dinamo Moscow and finally Kazan.
“We have been waiting this Final Four for two months – said Trentino’s president Diego Mosna – And I think we have taken care of every single detail of the organization. We’re ready for the competition to begin”.
Trentino BetClic: Captain Kaziyski
FINAL FOUR AT HOME. “The possibility to organize and play such an event is fantastic but that gives us more responsibility. This is therefore normal to feel a bit more pressure in this period but that’s all positive energy, not negative. We really want to win it in front of our fans, and we’ll do everything possible to come out on top once again”.
IN FORM. “We have worked very hard of late to reach these two games at our best. I feel in good form, I’m motivated and I’m finally finding my rhythm on the serve”.
FAME. “We are hungry for more victories, and we will try to prove it on each occasion from now until the end of the season”.
JASTRZEBSKI. “The semi-final against the Polish team will definitely be difficult. Objectively, I haven’t got a precise idea on the kind of opponent we’ll be facing on Saturday: I’ve only seen some part of one game so far. I’m sure, however, that our staff will be able to hand us all the useful information to be ready tactically too”.
THE RUSSIANS. “My feeling is that Kazan is better than Dinamo Moscow. We know both teams quite well, with players that have been at the top for years, so in that respect there won’t be any particular surprises. Moscow deserves great praise for having knocked out Cuneo while Zenit has a different starting 6 compared to the one we managed to beat at the tie-break in Doha in November 2009”.
Schedule
2011 CEV Champions League – Final Four
Saturday 26 March – semi-finals
3pm: Trentino BetClic (ITA) – Jastrzbeski Wegiel (POL) Live on Sportitalia 2
6pm: Zenit Kazan (RUS) – Dinamo Moscow (RUS) Live on Sportitalia 2
Domenica 27 marzo 2011 – Finali
2.30: game for third place Live on Sportitalia
6pm: Final Live on Sportitalia
Trento’s opponent in the semis: Jastrzebski Wegiel (POL)
This is his first participation in the Champions League. Last year it won the national cup and went to the league final, lost against Belchatow 3-1. In the Champions League 2009-10, it was knocked out in the group phase. Its most prestigious result in Europe was its runner-up position in the Challenge Cup 2009, when it surrendered in the tie-break in the final against Izmir. In the trophy cabinet, there is also the Polish League title won in 2004.
There is an Italian tradition on the bench, as Roberto Santilli was the coach before Lorenzo Bernardi took over. The main threats will be coming from Polish International setter Lomacz, outside hitter Yudin and Australian spiker Benjamin Hardy.
CEV Champions League run:
POOL C
Jastrzebski Wiegel – ACH Volley Bled 1-3 (22-25, 21-25, 25-21, 26-28)
Olympiacos Piraeus – Jastrzebski Wiegel 3-2 (28-26, 25-22, 23-25, 17-25, 15-13)
Budvanska Budva Rivijera – Jastrzebski Wiegel 3-2 (25-20, 28-26, 23-25, 24-26, 16-14)
Jastrzebski Wiegel – Budvanska Budva Rivijera 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-13)
Jastrzebski Wiegel – Olympiacos Piraeus 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-22)
ACH Volley Bled – Jastrzebski Wiegel 0-3 (21-25, 21-25, 23-25)
Top of the group with 11 points, 3 wins, 3 losses, 14 sets won and 9 lost.
Playoff 12
Generali Unterhaching – Jastrzebski Wiegel 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19)
Jastrzebski Wiegel – Generali Unterhaching 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 22-25, 25-19)
Golden set: 15-9 for Jastrzebski Wiegel
Playoff 6
Jastrzebski Wiegel – Noliko Maaseik 3-2 (17-25, 25-19, 19-25, 25-23, 15-7)
Noliko Maaseik – Jastrzebski Wiegel 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-23)
Golden set: 17-15 for Jastrzebski Wiegel
PAST WINNERS
1960 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1960/61 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1961/62 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1962/63 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1963/64 SC Leipzig (GDR)
1964/65 Rapid Bucarest (ROM)
1965/66 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1966/67 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1967/68 Spartak Brno (CEC)
1968/69 CSKA Sofia (BUL)
1969/70 Burevestnik Alma Ata (URSS)
1970/71 Burevestnik Alma Ata (URSS)
1971/72 Zetor Zbroyovka Brno (CEC)
1972/73 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1973/74 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1974/75 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1975/76 Dukla Liberec (CEC)
1976/77 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1977/78 Plomien Milowice (POL)
1978/79 Stella Rossa Bratislava (CEC)
1979/80 Klippan CUS Torino (ITA)
1980/81 Dinamo Bucarest (ROM)
1981/82 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1982/83 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1983/84 Santal Parma (ITA)
1984/85 Santal Parma (ITA)
1985/86 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1986/87 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1987/88 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1988/89 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1989/90 Philips Modena (ITA)
1990/91 CSKA Mosca (URSS)
1991/92 Il Messaggero Ravenna (ITA)
1992/93 Il Messaggero Ravenna (ITA)
1993/94 Edilcuoghi Ravenna (ITA)
1994/95 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
1995/96 Las Daytona Modena (ITA)
1996/97 Las Daytona Modena (ITA)
1997/98 Casa Modena Unibon (ITA)
1998/99 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
1999/00 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
*The competition was named Champions League from 2000-01.
2000/01 Paris Volley (FRA)
2001/02 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2002/03 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2003/04 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2004/05 Tous VB (FRA)
2005/06 Sisley Treviso
2006/07 Vfb Friedrichshafen (GER)
2007/08 Dinamo Kazan (RUS)
2008/09 Trentino Volley
2009/10 Trentino BetClic
