CEV Champions League 2018

  • Maxim what have you done :lol:


    :rolll:


    But nothing's worse than the men's pool A and C. This is so benign compared to that. :rolll:

    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

  • For the sake of completeness:


    Pool A: Volero ZÜRICH (SUI), ASPTT MULHOUSE (FRA), CSM Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU), Developres SkyRes RZESZOW (POL)
    Pool B: Fenerbahce SK ISTANBUL (TUR), Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA (ITA), Agel PROSTEJOV (CZE), Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO (ITA)
    Pool C: Chemik POLICE (POL), Dinamo KAZAN (RUS), Vizura RUMA (SRB), Maritza PLOVDIV (BUL)
    Pool D: Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS), Galatasaray SK ISTANBUL (TUR), Grot Budowlani LODZ (POL), VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR)


    Since there are no Playoffs 12, the top sides from each pool plus the two runners-up with the best result will progress to the Playoffs 6.


    That means that a lot of good teams are going to be eliminated already after the pool play and teams can't afford to have even one bad match :white:

  • I really don't understand how they allowed even a theoretical possibility of something like Pool A happening in the sport's most valued club competition. And then that it actually happened!
    It really devalues the sport of volleyball as a whole.

  • Can you just imagine if one of the Pool A teams gets the final four hosting rights? Please Volero! Don't do it!!! :rolll:

    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

  • There were several fundamental flaws before this draw, which enabled this nonsensical outcome:


    1. too many pools and teams at all, if they want a high quality competition only at CEV they should admit only 12 teams in three pools, which suffices, to let the powerhorses of Turkey, Italy and Russia in and avoid the majority of others (one to two clubs from Poland are also okay, what Bundesliga teams think about this is rather clear, after Schwerin and Stuttgart didn't want to participate... and there are is now a number of teams in the competition definitely weaker than Schwerin and Stuttgart)


    2. the new setting systems worsens situation: because the main difference is not between clubs of the same leagues in the strongest ones, but between the different leagues, the CEV should return to the previous system, when the teams of the top leagues were set on top one after another, and not the champions of the leagues first and than the vice...


    3. they should principally avoid getting teams of the same league=country into the same pools, also for qualification clubs. Because than you will never have several teams from Istanbul, Italy or Russia in the same pools and the distribution could not get this unbalanced.


    P.S. I have already twittered to Grot Budowlani Lodz my regret for their bad luck to be drawn in the true group of death with VakifBank, Galatasaray and Moscow - they were the team hittest hardest IMHO by this unbalanced draw

  • But nothing's worse than the men's pool A and C. This is so benign compared to that


    I'm not sure, at least in the male league two teams are sure to pass, the real problem here is that only one team will (plus two best seconds, that will hardly be from the two toughest pools... crossing my fingers obviously)



    I still think that with a better ranking system we would get a bit more balanced pools, anyway. Or at least it wouldn't be that random...

  • oh my :white:
    this must be the most unbalanced draw i've ever seen (or one of them)


    poor Fenerbahçe poor Imoco and poor Novara


    and Vakıf and Gala's pool also very tough!



    on the other hand, what is good for the teams of Pool A is they will advance to next round by not facing a tough team.this is good for them.


  • I'm not sure, at least in the male league two teams are sure to pass, the real problem here is that only one team will (plus two best seconds, that will hardly be from the two toughest pools... crossing my fingers obviously)



    I still think that with a better ranking system we would get a bit more balanced pools, anyway. Or at least it wouldn't be that random...


    The Male Division is much stronger despite having one more group. More teams with pedigree to catch any "BIG" team off guard unless it is Zenit Kazan. :rolll:


    The problem with the women's division is that you do not have any teams to comprise a playoffs 12. And not a lot of teams to compete against the best teams in Europe considering you only have 4 groups. With 4 pools from the women's division. That's going to be difficult with only a team elimiated after the group stage. Doesn't sound as interesting as two teams moving forward and two teams eliminated.


    I think the thing that must be done by CEV is to get a ranking based on the group strength.


    Pool D should have 3 teams moving forward and Pool A should only have one.

    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

    Edited once, last by Rains_of_Castamere ().

  • I am excited to watch GS in CL again anyway. They are performing much better since the terrible 3 matches against Istanbul giants. The only missing links for them are: (1) Setter-spikers connection and, (2) both liberos being terrible at defense. Would be great if they could release Buse and transfer a foreign libero who can defend.


    I did not follow Moscow this year, any comments? :white:

  • Finally a nice draw for Polish teams!!! It used to be usually the italian teams who had nice draws... Except Budowlani of course, but with some luck both Chemik and Develpopres can win the pools ;ooo

  • Finally a nice draw for Polish teams!!! It used to be usually the italian teams who had nice draws... Except Budowlani of course, but with some luck both Chemik and Develpopres can win the pools ;ooo


    What we have seen so far suggests, that Dynamo Kazan is clearly stronger than Chemik Police now.

  • In theory, we could see final six with Zurich, Developres, Fenerbahçe, Vakıfbank, Kazan and Police. With this horrible draw I hope GS will host Final 4 or at least one of the Italian teams. I think FB is better than both Conegliano and Novara but both teams are the strongest ones after Vakıfbank and FB. To me this 4 teams should be in final 4 but thanks to this horrible draw 3rd and 4th best teams in CL could be eliminated in pool phase :aww: On the other hand Volero Zurich has quite high chance to reach Final 4 although they lowered their budget drastically since they couldn't reach Final 4 so many years with a strong roster :aww: