CEV announced the participants for the 2020 Champions League season. The draws for the European Cups are set for later today.
England and Portugal have registered teams for the qualifiers. Just a single representative from France. And overall quite a limited list for the preliminary rounds.
And the respective draw for the preliminary rounds.
The CEV Champions League group stage has been started. Zaksa and BR Volleys opened the season in #CLVolleyM with 3-0 wins.
Zaksa hosted the Serbian representatives Vojvodina and defeated them in straight sets 25-20, 25-21, 25-21. It was a good effort by the Serbian team but the Polish side controlled the situation during the entire game.
Arpad Baroti was the best scorer in Zaksa with 16 points, while Simone Parodi contributed with 15. In Vojvodina, Aleksandar Blagojevic had the best display, finishing the game with 17 points.
BR Volleys have also opened the Champions League with a 3-0 win over ACH Volley. The Slovenian side gave a huge resistance, especially in the third set but they couldn’t extend the game.
Benjamin Patch was the best scorer of the game with 17 points, while Bozidar Vucicevic scored 15 points on the other side.
Poletaev sprained his ankle during Kuzbass debut in CL against Fakel.
Lorenzetti should have use his strongest roster. Cebulj and Russell are currently the titulars. Kovacevic is simply out of form. Vettori should have started because Djuric is still a stranger in the team and they've been held up for too long without official matches for almost two weeks. They need all the familiarity they could get. Maybe he underestimated Fenerbahce but the they were strengthened when Hidalgo came in the middle of the previous season, it should have been a hint that it is not a team they can take lightly. Rossard as an addition for this season is also not too shabby. He's a strong server and could put Trentino in some awkward phases.
Lorenzetti should have use his strongest roster. Cebulj and Russell are currently the titulars. Kovacevic is simply out of form.
What?! OG qualification is coming, what is he doing
What?! OG qualification is coming, what is he doing
Maybe he's saving his energy for the continental qualification. This is not the first time Kovacevic played badly in the league then do extremely well in an important tournament.
Oh God I thought Trento was done for but Russell served two aces during the third set and cut the lead of Fenerbahce to something manageable.
Lisinac's clutch attack(questioned by Fenerbahce but still...) and ace made the come back possible.
Lorenzetti with the weird substitution of Candellaro with the cuban middle blocker/outside hitter. Maybe the absurdity of it all helped Lisinac find the will to make the ace. 
Vucicevic had a fine summer in VNL. I'm shocked that he's not playing in a stronger league after his debut. Maybe Ljubljana got to him first before everyone noticed him?
Golubev's terrible overhead pass almost cost Zenit Kazan the second set. 
Ngapeth have to start from the bench. Voronkov-Mikhailov duo is unstable but the two can go over the block of Halkbank plus the added height to defend the opposite and it makes Mikhailov less of a target for the servers. Mikhailov is also the best server of the team. Benching him will probably make it harder for Kazan to widen the gap or chase the lead.
Sokolov is too nervous. He have to trust the Kazan block defense and be less aggressive with his serve. It does help that Voronkov is now starting over Ngapeth because the block is higher which makes defending easier as well.
sokolov must be regretting of joining kazan. if he stayed lube would be prohibitive favorite in both seria a and cl.
sokolov must be regretting of joining kazan. if he stayed lube would be prohibitive favorite in both seria a and cl.
He wanted to fix his serve. It's the reason he went to Zenit Kazan in the first place because Kazan players have crazy service development and ofcourse the money.
Kazan lost again 3-1 away match against Jastrzebie, with only 1 game left I think they seriously killed their chances in participating through QF. Had they won this match, they won't have to rely on the other teams' results to advance.. If Kazan does not make it to QF, this this surely a big blow for them in recent years.
Kuzbass and Fakel meanwhile, are sure to advance to the next round if they win their respective matches.
I can't even at Trentino.
Cebulj and Vettori with bits of Giannelli and Candellaro all deciding to choked in a game that is an absolute must-win at all cost. 
Now it's possible for Maaseik or even Zenit Kazan to advance because of this mess. Lorenzetti made terrible choices and late adjustment. Cebulj is now playing as an opposite with Michelletto as the OH. I guess we'll have to see what happens. The crowd is getting into their heads and they have no idea to play defense.
Trentino with 18 service, 14 attack and 7 reception errors in 3 sets.
The lefty opposite from Ceske is playing so smart or just really lucky. I don't even know anymore. 
either kazan or trentino is out. that's insane. this 5th set will determine who will advance.
Lisinac's serve.
...but thank God he is clutch when he attacks.
Micheletto is doing pretty okay but he still lacks the technique to attack with his left hand.
either kazan or trentino is out. that's insane. this 5th set will determine who will advance.
Even if Trentino wins, I think Kazan still has chance? Depends if Roselare wins their match or not that will be the final deciding factor.. Kazan is 3-3 with 11 points
