2015 CEV DenizBank Champions League

    Quote from Kaziyski

    OK "joke" too heavy word but there is no drama at all. After losing 1st set Belgorod trashed Halkbank, Loko trashed Tomis in 1st match (wont take 2nd in this comparison), Resovia trashed Vfb in 2nd as well as Perugia JW. Now Zenit 25-13 vs Piacenza in 1st set.. no excitement at all, gaps between teams are just too big...


    I don't look Playoffs through big "names", SKRA vs Lube is a big clash but 3:0 and 20+ diff for Poles in 1st match are tragic from my point of view :D

    Hmm, yes, it was not an entirely dramatic round, I agree, but normally the drama you are longing for comes in greater amounts later in the tournament, like at the Final Four. Of course, there were some decided games after the first leg already, but I will impute it to the what-appears-lately-to-be increasing gap between European clubs and leagues. The Russian giants (Zenit thanks to the Gazprom money, Belogorie thanks to their squad, Novosibirsk thanks to the weaker oppoents) and Skra (thanks to the current World champions plus the Argentinians) are clearly dominating the tournament this year, so perhaps you should wait till the end of March when they meet in Berlin if you find it least dramatic. However, there seemed to be no complaints last week when Halkbank-Belogorie, JW-Perugia and VfB-Resovia played. Then we had drama, it seems. Also, Belogorie might have trashed the Turks from the second set on, but it was namely Halkbank that had done the trashing in the opening one. Besides, Belogorie had their backs pushed against the wall and showed they can withstand pressure, which at their level was almost detrimental to Halkbank. How many times have we had such a scenario when big teams (also NTs) play each other? How many 3-0 scores with a big-point margin?


    Sure, I understand the lack-of-drama point you are making. And you're probably right. But I just saw good quality at times and teams with other problems.I guess it is a matter of preference.

    Guys I don't follow male volleyball so much so I don't know if it's me or men's F6 is much stronger than women's.. I have seen some matches in the CL this season and now I see the match-ups Kazan-Halkbank! Perugia-Skra! just those are F4 not to talk about the others..

    Camejo is suffering a lot in reception today, Asseco is doing a really good match. I'm liking Ivovic and Penchev especially; Serbian NT will have strong OH this summer considering Petric's latest performances in italy and Ivovic's with Resovia!

    I like both Lokomotiv and Asseco, but I have to support Lokomotiv, because if we (Perugia) reach the F4 and there is the russia derby in semifinal, we meet Berlin in semifinal. This ugly rules was supposed to evoid all italian finals, but now it may actually help us and every other underdogs.


    I don't get the point why Lee stays on bench for Novosibirsk. He's a better MB than Volvich and Abrosimov. I'd like to watch both Lee and Abrosimov. On the other side Burko is setting bad for the OHs. Zemchenok improved incredibly since the summer. I guess one between him and Moroz will leave the this at the end of the season. Novosibirsk needs to run the Mbs more. On the other side very good match by everyone for Resovia.

    Quote from Diesse14

    Camejo is suffering a lot in reception today, Asseco is doing a really good match. I'm liking Ivovic and Penchev especially; Serbian NT will have strong OH this summer considering Petric's latest performances in italy and Ivovic's with Resovia!


    I agree with you. Serbia has such a wide roster!


    Look at their MBs: Podrascanin, Stankovic and Lisinac. And do not forget Kovacevic brothers: Nikola played amazing in China, while Uros is still a diamant even after a season full of injuries. And there are youngsters like Dusan Petkovic ready to shine on international level.

    Zemchenok, without Asseco Resovia block, sent ball out and 3rd set to polish Club 29-27.

    What an exciting finish 8o


    I completely agree with the praising of Ivovic. Somehow he wasn't really on my radar so far but he is such a spectacular attacker and jumper :super:

    Quote from ravens#7

    I like both Lokomotiv and Asseco, but I have to support Lokomotiv, because if we (Perugia) reach the F4 and there is the russia derby in semifinal, we meet Berlin in semifinal. This ugly rules was supposed to evoid all italian finals, but now it may actually help us and every other underdogs.


    I don't get the point why Lee stays on bench for Novosibirsk. He's a better MB than Volvich and Abrosimov. I'd like to watch both Lee and Abrosimov. On the other side Burko is setting bad for the OHs. Zemchenok improved incredibly since the summer. I guess one between him and Moroz will leave the this at the end of the season. Novosibirsk needs to run the Mbs more. On the other side very good match by everyone for Resovia.

    I think you are the only one who sees any improvement or a positive change as far as Zemchenok is concerned. The guy is so poor, I still don't know what Voronkov liked about him. He should be a bench player for Dinamo Krasnodar (where they got him from) right now.

    Quote from ravens#7

    I agree with you. Serbia has such a wide roster!


    Look at their MBs: Podrascanin, Stankovic and Lisinac. And do not forget Kovacevic brothers: Nikola played amazing in China, while Uros is still a diamant even after a season full of injuries. And there are youngsters like Dusan Petkovic ready to shine on international level.

    Dusan Petkovic is Cannes' opposite, he is not an OH.

    Camejo is struggling on reception all season long and only in last few matches Voronkov was giving chance to Eremin. That's the reason why they are only 4th in Superleague, Diviš also had a lot of problems, both on reception and in field defense. Zemchenok isn't anything special, surely not world class opposite as some people are thinking. I watched a lot of Loko's matches this season so fell competent to talk about them :D


    Masterpiece by Kowal and Resovia :obey: I can't remember which Polish team played such extraordinary match in Russia, they left me speachless :obey:

    Congrats Resovia, finally i see their balls in game and idea for CL! :) Skra fans are jelaous now of this performance, but maybe it will last shortly and win with Perugia.



    Holmes should have played from the beginning of the match.

    I'm not saying Zemchenok is a world star now. I just said he has improved a lot since the summer, but he's still so so player for such a big team.


    And yes, you're righe about Petkovic. I don't know how but I deleted what I wrote about opposites, setters and liberos from Serbian NT. :aww:

    With still another game to go before Berlin, Resovia was indeed brilliant today. However, now let's wait another week and see if they have found a way to overcome their two greatest weaknesses - to provide consistency and to finally leave some mark in Europe. There were discussions earlier this season about the roster they have and how people wanted 80% of the players gone. Well, now you see that their roster was never the problem. Whether it was Kowal's work, luck, WCH 2014 boost or whether they just needed more time in Europe, this Resovia seems finally ready for a Champions League F4. To me, this might actually be the strongest Resovia I've watched. And they have had far better players in terms of individual skills. With Grozer they even lifted the Polish trophy twice, but the chemistry in this squad (who would've thought that a combination of Penchev, Holmes, Konarski, Buszek, Lotman would work!) makes them a better team. No matter if they make it to Berlin, reach the podium or beat Skra in the eventual league finals. Their recent games have been impressive and it is all happening when they need it the most. Sorry guys, you can't blame Kowal for anything this time :)


    And yet the playoff is surely not over.

    players like kubiak,sokolov,mozdonek were transferred for these matches and they have to show that to us otherwise they are already the fav in turkish league with Can,Burutay (the OHs in te bench)too..time to show your best!

    Quote from scarpetta

    I was wrong.
    Sokolov and especially Kubiak must be the worst transfers of the season. Shameful performance from Halkbank.

    :drink:


    I like it. Oh sorry... in last months God sent me Turkish boyfriend in my personal life so I must start to like Turkish clubs in volleyball. I promised myself. :D
    Without Masny setting Kubiak is little player...

    Sokolov's performance dropped so much since his year in Cuneo: so many mistakes both in attack and on serve, where he often steps the line...strange to see him not improving, two-three years ago it looked as if he could become really strong!