With the Olympics being postponed to 2021, this hurts Russia more than it benefits them. The team's main offensive weapon, Goncharova, will be 32 years old by the time (Kosheleva will be 33). If I remember correctly, Gamova was also 32 years old and Sokolova was 35 years old during London.
Russia should really start looking for Goncha's heir-apparent this year. If not Lazareva, maybe Kadochkina is the answer.
So it seems Goncharova is staying in Russia until she retires lol
“Goncharova and Fetisova re-signed contracts with the club for the next season. Victoria Rusakova, Daria Stolyarova, Ekaterina Raevskaya and two foreign women - Loren Karlini and Helena Havelkova, leave the team. All other players remain in the team, ”
Natalya Pereira will join the team (2012 Olympic champion in the Brazilian national team - Ed.). Since we have two foreign women left the team, we are working in this direction. We solve problems with the players. I think that in the near future there will be clarity, ”the source said.
Limit one per country:
Ognjenovic - Egonu
Zhu - KYK
Thaisa - Eda
Castillo
If we limit one per country, mine is pretty similar. 2015 Goncha can give Egnou a run for her money. That way I can use De Gennaro <wink>
Maja-Goncharova
Zhu-KYK
Thaisa-Eda
De Gennaro
Side note: People picking Thaisa a lot. Just goes to show how incredible of an MB she was at her peak
Verbov left Kazan and Alekno returns as Head coach
On Thursday, the Zenit volleyball club (Kazan) announced that acting head coach Alexei Verbov had left the team. A 38-year-old specialist has left on his own initiative and intends to start an independent career. Apparently, Vladimir Alekno, who was forced to interrupt his active coaching and helped Verbov as a consultant, will return to the post of mentor of Zenit.
According to a reliable source, the champion of the men's league will probably be determined by the results of the regular season.
Now that Ngapeth was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19, I don't think Kazan caa play equal strength and play with the same roster so I'm good to just use the rankings of the regular season. The top three teams: Lokomotiv, Kazan, Kemerovo are top as is refelcted in the current standings. Moscow and Petersburg can play CEV cup next year, not too bad really. Fakel just missed out by being ranked number 6, but with the way how their season went, I think it's just about right and they can just set their sights next year.
The Russian league is also post ponned.
Err bummer. I thought the matches will continue to be played with zero spectators. But for the sake of the health of the players, I think that is the best and logical decision.
What is the format for final six?They will make 2 groups(3 teams each) then after one round robin the first 2 teams of every group would go to semis?In the semis will be 1A vs 2B and 1B vs 2A?I really don t know.Does someone know?
Well if the follow Final 6 format there is no other way I guess, Top 2 teams in the pool advance to SF. By the way, good thing I'm not the only one following Russian League here 
Btw earlier today, Lokomotiv beat Zenit SpB in the Semi-finals of CEV Cup in a very close match Lokomotiv won 3-1.
I think Fakel will advance and win their next match. Bogdan is not anywhere near Kliuka and I don't think they will go further if Kliula will still not play. Re Semyshev, I agree he is very promising indeed in a few years he will compete as starter with Russian NT.
So Moscow became the first team to advance to Final 6 after their opponent withdrawed from the competition. I think it will be Lokomotiv vs Zenit for the Gold medal
Goncharova this season seems to pass already her prime. A few years ago, yes but now she can't lead a team to be Italian champion or CL final four
She played injured or has recovered from an injury for most of the season but she is still go-to player in Moscow and in NT. Probably she is not so dominant as before, but I agree she is nearing the end of her prime or slightly past it which is not unusual for a player starting her 30s
Yes, but she's young and she have no previous experiences in top teams nor in competitions as Champions League!
No doubt about her talent.
But, in my opionion, Novara needs an opposit which guarantees points points and point in every occasions and vs every team.
Then Novara needs to sign a huge offer to Goncharova and get her out of Russia! 
Sorry I don't know where to post this. But I read an interview with Dinamo Moscow's General Director and it appears Maja filed a lawsuit against her former team. I am really shocked to be honest. I know there are two sides to the story, but it leaves a bad taste both for Maja, even if you're a fan of hers or otherwise.
Below is the excerpt of the interview in English
“OGNENOVICH SUBMITS US TO THE COURT”
- You can clarify the situation with Maya Ognenovich, who left the club immediately after signing the contract for this season. What happened and how did this affect the team?
- The story with Maya began even before the start of the previous championship, when she suddenly decided to resume her career in the national team. We understood that the age player (Ognenovich is now 35 years old - approx. Ed.), Having passed the crucible of the World Cup - 11 matches in 2 weeks! - will return to the club is not in the best condition. And so it happened - due to fatigue, illness and other problems, Maya missed the start of the season and a number of important matches, including the Super Bowl. By December, she got in shape, helped us win the Cup of Russia, and then asked for New Year in Serbia. And already from there she wrote that she lays down on a planned operation due to problems not related to volleyball. So we again lost her for a whole month. Of course, we discussed with her that such omissions, when the team remains with one binder for a long time, threatens the fulfillment of our tasks. And this will have financial implications. Maya agreed with everything. When we extended the contract for the 2019-2020 season, she asked for more favorable conditions, and we went for it to compensate for her previous costs. But literally right after that, Oghenovich through the agent said that despite the new agreement, she would no longer play for Dynamo. Referred to Moscow traffic jams, long flights and other difficulties of life in Russia. Although, as it turned out, behind our back she had already signed another contract - with Vakifbank.
“And you just let her go?”
- Of course, it could be kept. Make you stay. But why? Forcing a person to play by force, especially - such a master - is pointless. We contacted the Turkish club and said that we were ready to let her go, but for a little compensation. Which we have been asked for for a player whom I had to look for to replace Ognenovich. All parties agreed, the story ended there. And then we found out that Maya filed a lawsuit against us demanding to pay her money for the month that she missed because of the very operation, not related to sports. The trial is ongoing, but without much progress. There is no solution.
After the semifinals of Suntory against J-TEKT, in my opinion, Muserskiy is too tired in Suntory Sunbirds in this season.
MB is his natural postion, so I guess him playing Opp is sub-optimal. Kind like Maxim playimg OH
I was right all along Maja against her former teammates Goncha will be pretty fired up for sure
Err, so I think both Kazan and Trentino are out?
Ranking of the the best Top 2 teams:
1. Kuzbass 4-2 - 12 points
2. MAASEIK 4-2 12 points
3. ROESELARE 4-2 11 points
4.TRENTINO 4-2 10 points
5. KAZAN - 3-3 11 points
Kuzbass 12 points and Trentino 10 points are in.. Kazan's fate not in their hands but there is still hope lol
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
By the way, are playoffs in Russia played by 1-8 or 1-4 standings?
Teams ranked from 1st to 8th will play in QF. Then, if teams manage to win 1 match each (home and away match), golden set will be played to determine the winner
I love this VB roster!The players seem to have clicked together really well (even Bartsch who has been with them for about a month) and even though most of them are not scoring machines,they function exceptionally well as a team in pretty much all aspects...
I agree. I think Maja is the X-factor..
Voronkova is playing awful. I will not be surprised if Koshe will take her starting spot in NT and not that Koshe is playing particularly good either..
So Moscow is 1st in their pool. But this is the weakest Moscow in years, so I don't think they will get past QF
