The volleyball players from Allianz MTV Stuttgart face a huge challenge in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. But sports director Kim Renkema said before the duel with Fenerbahce Istanbul: “I am convinced that we will have our opportunities.”
Ms. Renkema, your team is facing special days. The cup final will take place on March 3rd, followed by the quarter-finals in the Champions League. How big is the anticipation?
It is extremely large. Just because of the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday evening, my heart beats a little faster.
Apparently not just you. The Scharrena is sold out . . .
. . . and we certainly could have sold them out twice for that game against Fenerbahce Istanbul. The interest was huge. On Monday alone we had to cancel hundreds of interested people. It will be a celebration – with an extraordinary atmosphere. Turkish fans are known for being very loud.
And the team for being very strong. Fenerbahce leads the table of the top league in Turkey.
The team is at the absolute top level and is well staffed from the first to the last squad position. And in Melissa Vargas they have an absolutely exceptional player on the team.
The one who was injured last.
But last weekend she was back on the field and introduced. This shows that Fenerbahce really wants them to play against us - which in turn is also an honor for us.
How do you rate your team's renewed push into the top eight teams in Europe?
We haven't achieved this for the first time - and yet for me it is and remains something magical. When you know that the top teams from Turkey, Italy or Poland sometimes have a budget that is five times as big as us, then that is a special achievement.
The Champions League is not lucrative, but it is important
Which is as possible?
By working well over the past few years and always putting our squad together wisely. It was also important that we were able to keep important players like Krystal Rivers, Roosa Koskelo and Maria Segura in Stuttgart for a long time.
What role does the prospect of successful participation in the Champions League play?
This is an important argument for many players - especially since we can't entice players with high salaries. This is why we have become a good address, especially for aspiring players; we can recommend you here for the next big step into one of the top leagues already mentioned. Although the Champions League does not bring us any direct financial gain, it is still very important for our club.
In Germany, there are always big question marks about the economic strength of many volleyball Bundesliga teams. Why can so much more be invested in this sport elsewhere?
To be honest, in some cases I wonder that too. There are some leagues that are financially thriving and it's hard to explain. Greece is one of them, as are Hungary and Ukraine. In countries like Italy or Poland, on the other hand, the sport of volleyball is much more important than in Germany, and companies are happy to invest a lot in the clubs. State funds also play a major role in Turkey. And of course the tax system also helps in some places. For us, gross is not the same as net.
Can the German Bundesliga close the gap a little in the future?
Unfortunately, it will be even more challenging.
Why?
A newly created professional league will start in the USA this year and there will be a lot of money in it. This will ensure that many talents from the colleges do not come to Europe in the first place. And that many who are already playing in Europe are returning to the US - probably up to 70 percent of them. This can already be felt on the transfer market and will have an impact on numerous leagues in Europe. This means our other good players are even more in the focus of Europe's top teams.
Is it even more important to enjoy the next two quarter-final games?
In any case, such a duel is the cherry on the cake for us. And there is actually no guarantee that we will still manage to reach the quarter-finals of the premier class.
And yet it may be that they will not play with the best team in the second leg in Istanbul - because the cup final is in Mannheim a few days later.
Basically, our players are used to playing a game every three or four days. Which is why I'm basically not worried. But one thing is also clear: the cup final is the even more important match. And if we don't have a chance in the first leg, we have to plan the second leg wisely with a view to Mannheim, because the travel strain also comes into play.
Will your team have no chance?
The opponent seems overwhelming, but I am convinced that we will have our opportunities. Especially since even with a team like Fenerbahce the players don't have their best day.
What will it matter?
We have to manage to show our fast game and get the hall behind us. We have to put a lot of pressure on the serve so that a player like Melissa Vargas can't develop to her full potential. Once Fenerbahce's attack gets rolling, it will be difficult for us.
But thanks to use the correct region wording für Münster!
Of course Stuttgart is playing on an amazing level, but I see zero fight and energy in Potsdam 
