A very exciting weekend is coming up in less than 24 hours as the real European Volleyball elite is ready to fire up a “hot” ambiance in the marvelous Atlas Arena here in Lodz for the final four of the 2009/2010 CEV Indesit Champions League. The hosts of PGE Skra BELCHATOW will try to delight the massive home audience – the competition hall is totally sold out since many weeks - with some stellar actions, starting with the semifinal match against Russia’s Dinamo MOSCOW. On the other hand, TRENTINO BetClic will try to extend its stellar winning streak, doubling up the great success of last year in Prague that was followed a few months later by an additional crown at the FIVB Club World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
The captains and coaches of all four participating teams had the chance to discuss their expectations and goals together with the media this morning as a special press conference was organized at the Hotel Focus here in Lodz. To back up once again the tremendous popularity of Volleyball in Poland, two broadcasting companies aired this event live, so a real fever is currently mounting in this country with tons of fans hoping that BELCHATOW will not miss the chance to pick up the trophy at home.
However, this won’t be an easy mission. Bulgarian superstar and TRENTINO’s captain Matey Kaziyski is very much looking forward to the start of the competition: “We came here being well aware that the best European teams qualified for this final four, but certainly we are targeting a great performance and our aim is to confirm our victory from last year in Prague”. His mentor Radostin Stoytchev added: “Although we are considered, by many experts and journalists, the real favorite of the event, still this does not really count. We have to show on the court what we are capable of, express our full potential and then we may celebrate another great feat for our club”.
The Italians will play the real sensation of this year’s Champions League in the second semifinal, i.e. Slovenia’s ACH Volley BLED. Coach Glenn Hoag shared his feelings and said: “I see this final four as a very precious learning opportunity for my young team. We already caused some major upsets during the previous stages of the competition and we came to Poland to try to perform again at our best”.
The Polish hopes will be carried by PGE Skra, whose roster includes many players that seized gold at last year’s European Championships in Turkey, such as Bartosz Kurek and many more. However, their semifinal against Dinamo MOSCOW is expected to be a real fight. Russian mentor and former Volleyball star Yuri Cherednik says: “As I took over this position, my main concern was to create the right team spirit. I have players that are extremely skilled and know everything about Volleyball, so I had to work more on their psychology than on the technique. I feel we are ready to compete with the best teams in the world”.
CEV Vice President and ECC President Riet Ooms asserted the real pleasure for the European Volleyball Confederation to stage this event in a country that is more than fond of Volleyball and added: “I am more than convinced that this weekend will be an absolute success, not simply for CEV and for the local organizers, but also for Volleyball as a sport. The images we’ll be airing from Lodz are the best promotion for our sport across the Continent and even elsewhere”.
The final four will be indeed broadcast in many extra European countries, thus confirming that this is a truly major event even beyond Volleyball in itself. CEV is also very pleased to announce that apart from the ordinary live streaming of the matches at www.laola1.tv, a Live Gallery – with pictures being uploaded in real time during the games – will be available throughout the weekend at www.eventolive.it/ciclmen2010
Do not miss your chance to watch for Volleyball at its real best and have fun!!
The captains and coaches of all four participating teams had the chance to discuss their expectations and goals together with the media this morning as a special press conference was organized at the Hotel Focus here in Lodz. To back up once again the tremendous popularity of Volleyball in Poland, two broadcasting companies aired this event live, so a real fever is currently mounting in this country with tons of fans hoping that BELCHATOW will not miss the chance to pick up the trophy at home.
However, this won’t be an easy mission. Bulgarian superstar and TRENTINO’s captain Matey Kaziyski is very much looking forward to the start of the competition: “We came here being well aware that the best European teams qualified for this final four, but certainly we are targeting a great performance and our aim is to confirm our victory from last year in Prague”. His mentor Radostin Stoytchev added: “Although we are considered, by many experts and journalists, the real favorite of the event, still this does not really count. We have to show on the court what we are capable of, express our full potential and then we may celebrate another great feat for our club”.
The Italians will play the real sensation of this year’s Champions League in the second semifinal, i.e. Slovenia’s ACH Volley BLED. Coach Glenn Hoag shared his feelings and said: “I see this final four as a very precious learning opportunity for my young team. We already caused some major upsets during the previous stages of the competition and we came to Poland to try to perform again at our best”.
The Polish hopes will be carried by PGE Skra, whose roster includes many players that seized gold at last year’s European Championships in Turkey, such as Bartosz Kurek and many more. However, their semifinal against Dinamo MOSCOW is expected to be a real fight. Russian mentor and former Volleyball star Yuri Cherednik says: “As I took over this position, my main concern was to create the right team spirit. I have players that are extremely skilled and know everything about Volleyball, so I had to work more on their psychology than on the technique. I feel we are ready to compete with the best teams in the world”.
CEV Vice President and ECC President Riet Ooms asserted the real pleasure for the European Volleyball Confederation to stage this event in a country that is more than fond of Volleyball and added: “I am more than convinced that this weekend will be an absolute success, not simply for CEV and for the local organizers, but also for Volleyball as a sport. The images we’ll be airing from Lodz are the best promotion for our sport across the Continent and even elsewhere”.
The final four will be indeed broadcast in many extra European countries, thus confirming that this is a truly major event even beyond Volleyball in itself. CEV is also very pleased to announce that apart from the ordinary live streaming of the matches at www.laola1.tv, a Live Gallery – with pictures being uploaded in real time during the games – will be available throughout the weekend at www.eventolive.it/ciclmen2010
Do not miss your chance to watch for Volleyball at its real best and have fun!!
