CEV Champions League 2018

  • That was an exciting week in the champions league.


    Still very disappointed with Civitanova but the other games made a great mark to end the group stage.


    Very happy for Chaumont that they were able to make it to the playoffs 12 literally on the last whistle.PAOK would have made it if it weren't for the win. France is looking very competitive. I guess if Italy decides to limit the foreigners and the superlega clubs... the french league could be the new it girl.


    Civitanova-Perugia. What a bummer. It was a tight game judging by the scoreline but it wasn't very competitive. Too many errors. I didn't like it very much. I have a feeling the extended winter affected Civitanova a lot than it did with Perugia. Juantorena's 31 year old back probably was hurt the most. :gone: Sokolov tried to make this a game but everyone else were just bad.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Civitanova-Perugia; excuses, excuses, excuses ... Exaggerating current injuries.. Juantorena putting a theatre with his dying from pain face just like Sokolov 2 weeks ago.
    This time Christenson's unexisting block against Perugia hit a new high, even let Zaytsev look like a good offensive OH :lol: .
    And when it is the most necessary time Novosibirsk lost Grozer? Why why why :wall:

  • wow! Halkbank's setter was terrible. Not sure why his sets were so slow and inside the block :wavy:


    Their defensive libero is also useless, why play with 2 libero system while your 2nd libero does not make a single defense :down:

  • I'm speechless about Atanasijevic's development. It's just amazing how good he's playing in the key moments of the match. He made his level up when I was completely hopeless for him, after years of epic fails.


    Chapeau to Aleksandar, I'm always glad when a player makes me change my mind in a positive way. :thumbsup:


    And can we talk about Berger out of system in the last points of the third set? Amazing! :obey:

  • The problem I see with Halkbank is they keep on changing their lineup every year. There's no sense of cohesion that is left if you keep on doing that. They are a strong team in Turkey that is able to win the league in their region but if they cannot keep their players for atleast another year then you are not going to have any chances against the biggest clubs in Europe that already has a strong link with one another.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Seems like all the foreigners of Halkbank took their sweet time to adjust to the increased power from playing against mid-tier teams to a club on the level of the big four in Italy. If they actually adjusted earlier in the game... they could have atleast took a set in the beginning when Perugia was at their most vulnerable.


    I guess for Perugia... their biggest advantage coming to the CL was that Berger already played during the time when Russell had a muscular problems so the adjustment was not that particularly difficult for Perugia.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • So far Skra is doing whatever they want in the offensive end.Lube's middle players are in tragic form. Stankovic can't jump anymore, the way they jump over him is pretty sad.I think with this performance he can't even play in average teams.
    Sander can't receive anything but he is doing wonders in the offense, hitting all those bad sets because of his reception.
    Skra should do better at the block, they are getting their chances but can't use it.

  • Skra won the first set 27-25. Juantorena can't even hit above Skra's short setter. As the season progress his jumping ability regressed severely ,all because he choose not to train anymore. Medei should have changed him but of course didn't have courage to do.

  • Skra tried too hard to lose this set but in the end their middle players were just too good.
    Sander must stop being so careless, I have a feeling that he is only playing for himself. His mistake cost Lube the set and the way they react to Sander shows there is no friendship in this team.

  • The commentator won't shut up. :white:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Stankovic finally decided that is enough humiliation and started to make blocks :lol: . Middle presence helped Lube to turn the match.
    Skra's MB's stopped playing after second set.
    I think in this match Lube truely lost Sander. I won't be surprised if he shows some reaction after today's match. The way other players overreacted to his mistake in the second set was humiliating and he may take it personal.
    Sokolov was absolutely man of the match and I hate Juantorena's stupid gestures. It doesn't show his intensity or desire, it makes him a fool

  • Skra won the first set 27-25. Juantorena can't even hit above Skra's short setter. As the season progress his jumping ability regressed severely ,all because he choose not to train anymore. Medei should have changed him but of course didn't have courage to do.


    So much doubt Medei will just take out Juantorena. Anytime he can serve at his best ability which could turn around the match and he did.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Stankovic finally decided that is enough humiliation and started to make blocks :lol: . Middle presence helped Lube to turn the match.
    Skra's MB's stopped playing after second set.
    I think in this match Lube truely lost Sander. I won't be surprised if he shows some reaction after today's match. The way other players overreacted to his mistake in the second set was humiliating and he may take it personal.
    Sokolov was absolutely man of the match and I hate Juantorena's stupid gestures. It doesn't show his intensity or desire, it makes him a fool


    I think Lube just plays better with Kovar. Although Sander may have good numbers... there are other areas Kovar excels at that statistics does not show.


    Just looking at the Piacenza quarterfinal game 1. Lube usually have problems with that team but when Kovar got the titular spot this time... The whole Lube played better. It's a small sample size but it's working in my opinion.

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Exciting match in Berlin. Berlin is pumped up and giving good resistance to VfB. Small Protopsaltis is best attacker of Friedrichshafen. He has such a good palm and vision for the block and keeps them in the game. 2:1 for Friedrichshafen now.....

  • Chaumont setter playing amazingly. He is using some fake sets and fake attacks to throw off Trentino's blocking. It's weird to see Chaumont like this. I thought they were just going to die without Boyer but they are playing very well or maybe Trentino is not. :gone:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • Trento doesn't need another serving error. The whole team basically got Lanza'd in the third set. :serve:

    Favorite players: M: Maxim Mikhaylov, Murilo, Serginho, Aaron Russell, Otavio, Simone Giannelli, Ivan Zaytsev, Tsvetan Sokolov, Michał Kubiak, Mariusz Wlazly, Pawel Zagummy W: Sheilla, Zhu Ting, Natalia, Fe Garay, Fofao, Gabi, Thaisa, Foluke Akinradewo, Wei Qiuyue, Ding Xia, Carli Lloyd, Fabi, Natalia Goncharova, Yuko Sano, Saoris Kimura and Sakoda


    #FreeBritney

  • And Friedrichshafen is winning the german derby 3:2. Problem for Berlin is that they played a decent match tonight and i am not sure whether they can still put much on top of this performance.


    Friedrichshafen on the other hand still has room for improvement. Tischer was quite unprecise on many occasions, Boladz did not play well tonight and overall they got blocked way too often for their standard. Also a possible return of Collin could improve their game. Some praise has to go out to Protopsaltis who played a great match and was the best scorer tonight. its really fun to watch him playing :thumbup: