CEV Champions League 2017

    Quote from Kk15

    Yeah, at this point I would have almost preferred if they had kept the old 'maximum 2 team from the same country in the final 4 and maximum 1 per country in the final' rule.
    (I don't think they had because otherwise I can't explain why the rule wasn't applied to the Polish teams, unless it was impossible to realize it alongside the two rule below...).


    As far as I understood, the rules used were:
    - first in the pool vs second/third (for sure)
    - no play off 12 between team of the same pool


    Edit: I'm pretty sure it was possible to have all derbies still respecting these two rules: we simply have to switch the two turkish team with Resovia and Belchatow.
    So, it appears that... the derbies were all coincidence 8| ?(

    Quote from Kaziyski

    IMO this was semiorchestrated draw as teams from same country can meet in Playoff 6. My favs are Dynamo Moscow, Berlin, Modena, Cucine Lube, ZAKSA and Zenit. ZAKSA is having really difficult road to Rome with 2 Russian teams (if they beat Belgorod), while Dynamo Moscow has the easiest road (ofc in my opinion).


    Had this not been an "orchestrated" draw, the chance of three teams from the same country having a non-clashing path to F4 would have been around 90%. CEV has clearly seeded the two Italian clubs to face each other in F6 and, possibly, arranged that two Rus and Pol teams would clash before F4. I doubt that the lucky group was pre-arranged for Turkey/Germany. The real beneficiary is Dinamo who gets to play both return legs at home. Despite the recent lame performances, I think Moscow needs to be quite stupid in order to miss F4. I am pretty positive there'll be another Italian team in F4. The biggest Qs for me are Belgorod and ZAKSA, although both would need a mega-lucky day to make life hard for Kazan.

    Polish teams are the "lucky" '3 teams from the same country' with only one possible derby pre-final instead of two.
    I mean, mathematically it's possible to have a final with two Polish team, but not with two Italians, two Russians or two Turkeys.


    Unfortunately, Poland probably best team (Zaksa) happened to stay in the same 'quartet' of the super favorite Kazan, and the other two vs Italians teams (with one of them being the other favorite for the CL, at the moment).


    So, if mathematically Poland is the only one that can have two teams in the final, practically among Poland, Russia and Italy they're probably the team that risk the most not be in the final (or even the final4) at all... :(



    Italian teams got quite a tough path considering they're complexly the best seeded country in the pools (3 team first of the pool, vs only 1 Russian and 1 Polish team), but at the same time they have decent chance to have 2 teams in the final 4, which means 1 team for sure in the final.



    Russia is probably the favorite to have 2 teams in F4, but I hope Berlino will be the 'outsider' in the final 4.
    Between Zaksa and Kazan I don't have a clear favorite (but I prefer both of them to their respective opponents)

    Quote from Kk15

    Polish teams are the "lucky" '3 teams from the same country' with only one possible derby pre-final instead of two.
    I mean, mathematically it's possible to have a final with two Polish team, but not with two Italians, two Russians or two Turkeys.


    AFAIC the F4 matches were honestly drawn this year, following the desperate appeals from Italian side traumatised by the all-Italian semi last year. There was a 1 in 3 chance to get an "Italian" draw for Perugia in the semi, which worked.


    Quote from Kk15

    Russia is probably the favorite to have 2 teams in F4, but I hope Berlino will be the 'outsider' in the final 4. Between Zaksa and Kazan I don't have a clear favorite (but I prefer both of them to their respective opponents)


    If I were you, thinking of an outsider in F4, I would favour of a team capable doing damage to Kazan in the SF if not beating them on a one-off occasion. I do not see how Berlin can do this in the SF. Yes, they were OKish in the home SF two years ago but that was two years ago. One may argue that Kazan is by far less motivated now but their squad is overall stronger. Dinamo would be a better draw from the Italian perspective as they are equipped to give a team like Zenit some hard time. Lost 1:3 to Kazan in Feb but Zenit won two sets on a balance, thanks to Butko's aces. Obviously I'm assuming here that Zenit reaches the F4 stage, which is a doable thing for them. Yes, Zaksa or Belgorod may pull a set/two or even a game from Kazan but would be difficult to win two matches or one match and GS. Belgorod looks too age-positive from the outside and I think that Zaksa may struggle a lot against the organised block.

    Booked the flight to Rome for the F4. I think nobody can hurt Kazan in their way to the final. For me it's only Lube who can surprise Zenit in a single match. I expect a Russian and an Italian SF with Perugia vs. Lube and Moscow vs. Kazan.

    Quote from Marcus

    Booked the flight to Rome for the F4. I think nobody can hurt Kazan in their way to the final. For me it's only Lube who can surprise Zenit in a single match. I expect a Russian and an Italian SF with Perugia vs. Lube and Moscow vs. Kazan.



    Congrats on the booking! I am also considering it :)


    This is exactly the scenario that looks most plausible right now. To start with, they obviously put the two strongest runner-ups, Dinamo Moscow and Berlin RV, as seeded in the draw, which I find totally acceptable, and they got lucky. Let's face it, facing the two Turkish sides this year is realtively desirable and should be considered fortunate. Now, I didn't watch the draw and don't know how lucky it was indeed for the two runner-ups to end up in the same part of the Playoffs 6 draw. But it is totally unfair, let's be reasonable. With the host already known, the 3 teams that would surely deserve a place in Rome, based on their performance and form in the group stage, are Zenit, Lube, and ZAKSA. I would have enjoyed to see all 3 in Rome and it is obvious ZAKSA drew the short straw. In my opinion, the Poles are favourites against Belogorie. powsoff is right that Zenit is theoretically easier to surprise in an eventual semifinal, yet if ZAKSA faces Zenit in what promises to be a great Playoffs 6 duel, they might have their chances. True, Dinamo Moscow could've also given Zenit some pressure, but I consider ZAKSA to have more chances against Zenit. For one, ZAKSA actually beat Dinamo this season more easily than Zenit did (although we shouldn't compare games), and two, the fast and super technical volleyball by De Giorgi's side should create trouble for both Belogorie (discussed earlier in this very same thread) and Zenit. We know very well that Zenit can demolish any team with similar style of play apart from Cruzeiro, hence I would consider the encounters with ZAKSA highly interesting.

    Quote from YavorD

    .... it is obvious ZAKSA drew the short straw. In my opinion, the Poles are favourites against Belogorie. powsoff is right that Zenit is theoretically easier to surprise in an eventual semifinal, yet if ZAKSA faces Zenit in what promises to be a great Playoffs 6 duel, they might have their chances. True, Dinamo Moscow could've also given Zenit some pressure, but I consider ZAKSA to have more chances against Zenit. For one, ZAKSA actually beat Dinamo this season more easily than Zenit did (although we shouldn't compare games), and two, the fast and super technical volleyball by De Giorgi's side should create trouble for both Belogorie (discussed earlier in this very same thread) and Zenit. We know very well that Zenit can demolish any team with similar style of play apart from Cruzeiro, hence I would consider the encounters with ZAKSA highly interesting.



    The reason why I have doubts re Zaksa vs Zenit is that I think one needs someone serious in two/one to put a good pressure on Kazan. Zenit has four players in the starting line-up capable of serving multiple tough serves in a raw, something that Dinamo is lacking; this means that inevitably their opponent has to deal with a decent number of high balls on organised block. This is the exact case when this nicely engineered scheme with Toniutti becomes quite difficult; in the matches vs Dinamo, things like that would make Zaksa lose a set. I think that historically, teams that managed to beat/give hard time to Kazan all had a strong solo side-outer, i.e. someone capable scoring 30+ points per game alone. I can't see a figure like Bakun or even Zhigalov/Danilov (may sound unusual but each of these two has a recorded 35+ point heroic performance on a high level) in Zaksa. They did beat Moscow twice quite impressively but that that happened vastly due to an excellent organisation and I would emphasise the role of the setter. Also, I would say, Dinamo has undergone some "zenitisation" as their performance in defense/reception has unsurprisingly changed towards simpler but more power-based action. I would say, they are better tailored to face a powerful opponent like Zenit rather than a technical one. Apart from the Zaksa matches, Dinamo had two very shaky games vs Noliko, in which the setter Grankin has outsmarted his own team. Zaksa may of course come up with some special strategy for games like these - I think we'll know this well by their games vs Belgorod.

    Wasn't the F4 tickets sale supposed to be opened, like, an hour ago?


    EDIT: Never mind, it took me some time to find out how the system works.

    Guys, the tickets are selling very fast, I advise you! Only around 50 free spot in the second ring, I really didn't expect that!
    Still several sites for first and third ring.


    To buy the ticket you need to go on bookingshow, then select one of the two days (29/30), then select the red button with written 'abbonamento fisso', then select the sits on Palalottomatica maps. The grey sectors are sold out.
    You can only buy 4 sits for each buyer (so, for each credit card, I think; but you also need to change the name and the datas of the buyer, not only the credit card).
    You need to insert data for every person/ticket.

    Quote from Kk15

    Guys, the tickets are selling very fast, I advise you! Only around 50 free spot in the second ring, I really didn't expect that!
    Still several sites for first and third ring.


    To buy the ticket you need to go on bookingshow, then select one of the two days (29/30), then select the red button with written 'abbonamento fisso', then select the sits on Palalottomatica maps. The grey sectors are sold out.
    You can only buy 4 sits for each buyer (so, for each credit card, I think; but you also need to change the name and the datas of the buyer, not only the credit card).
    You need to insert data for every person/ticket.

    I went through the procedure yesterday and I can clearly say this has been the most obscure tickets system I have used. It is not logical for the user to click anything when there is a button with text 'No tickets can be purchased for this event'. I still decided to click the infamous red button an hour later and although I bought tickets in the end, I guess I missed most of the better seats available. Also, the fact that you have to click on either of the dates and not the event as a single link instead makes you think you only did half of the job.


    Anyway, I am also coming to Rome :)

    I totally agree, I spent like 10 minutes using different key words in the search line to find the complete 2-days event on its own, when I finally decide to open the single day to check the prize 'just in case'... And after that I still needed a moment to realize that I needed to click on the red button.
    'abbonamento fisso' It's not even that explicative in Italian (the adjective 'fisso' doesn't work very well in this case, imho). I don't know the english version.


    Ps second ring practically sold out

    Quote from Kk15

    I totally agree, I spent like 10 minutes using different key words in the search line to find the complete 2-days event on its own, when I finally decide to open the single day to check the prize 'just in case'... And after that I still needed a moment to realize that I needed to click on the red button.
    'abbonamento fisso' It's not even that explicative in Italian (the adjective 'fisso' doesn't work very well in this case, imho). I don't know the english version.


    Ps second ring practically sold out


    I'm not so sure about your statement. I refreshed the page several times yesterday and I'm pretty sure I was one of the first people to buy a ticket trough the regular sales. Bought two tickets in a sector 3rd ring and still all the seats, which were available yesterday, are available. Also some places in the 2nd ring were already sold, when the regular sale started, to people with a Perugia seasonticket.

    Quote from Marcus

    I'm not so sure about your statement.


    Which statement? the 'sold out' of the second ring? This afternoon there were like 5 seats left (divided in two sectors).


    Edit: I checked again, they 'opened' a complete new sector in the second ring, where all the seats are free (135 or so). :what:
    If they will release other sectors in other times, I will be quite disappointed, since the seats I took wouldn't have been my first choice (in case, the latter) :thumb down:


    Edit two: and now 2 more sectors! :thumbdown:


    In your opinion is it possible that in Italy we see different free sectors than outside? In the second ring now i see B26, B27 (practically sold out), B28, B9, B10 (the three 'new' sectors). I had this doubt because yesterday the sectors in the second ring with free seats where the sectors of Sirmaniaci or nearby.


    No, but this is what I meant. They are releasing sector by sector. And closing sectors which are not yet full. Nevertheless it still may be a sold out stadiium after a few weeks!

    Quote from Marcus

    They are releasing sector by sector.


    Yes.


    I find it quite unfair, who buy the ticket first should be able to chose the best seats of the ring they are interested in.


    I also imagine there were people that bought tickets in the third or first ring because they find the second full (or without near seats): I don't want to be in them when they'll find out the second ring has sectors completely free..

    As expected, we have a tight match in Istanbul, while Zaksa just destroyed Belogorie in first set. Guess i will start the evening with the BR Volleys....

    So istanbul took the win in five sets. Service was off (Kromm/ter Maat) for Berlin and they didn't look really well adjusted in block/defense especially considering BBSKs pretty simple game plan. 35 points (60%) for Rouzier is just a bit too much. I hope Wouter had a look to the other side and took a little lesson. His sub came a bit too late for my taste.


    For Istanbul, Marko Matic looks like a talented and promising player. Really impressive height and already good blocking skills :thumbup:


    By the way, pretty good comeback for Belgorod after this first set :box:

    I can't be satisfied. We won 3-2, despite we should have won 3-1 against a poor team like Resovia. I'm still angry for the way we gave to them the 3th set :wall:


    p.s. I'm pretty disappointed by Zaksa

    Per un pir, un pam un persec per na brogna e na rumleina, nuetr'a sam d'la Ghirlandeina nuetr'a sam da rispeter




    Edited once, last by Mamdani ().

    Let me just post the newly launched website of the F4 tournament in Rome here.


    Due to the technical issues yesterday, we don't have a lively discussion here, unfortunately :( The timing couldn't have been worse, I guess. I only watched the first and part of the second set in Belgorod and I should say I am also disappointed by ZAKSA, I had expected more. I will re-watch the match this week, I can't say much right now, I am curious what happened. First of all, they had Tillie missing. Does anyone know why? ZAKSA started the match just like anyone would expect them to and I was surprised to see the final score later.


    Lube was not entirely convincing only in some parts of the match in Lodz and overall I felt they were almost always in control. Almost about the same level of control was applied against Skra last year, too. But comparisons between the two events are meaningless. Lube's form, or rather peak, has been an interesting topic we've had several times, still everything looks good for them.


    I was hoping ZAKSA could be the only Polish team, despite the unlucky draw, to advance to the next round or at least step up this week. They still have a match at home but there is a serious chance we see all Polish teams get eliminated in this round :|