11/04/2018 23:45
RAVENNA upset 11,800-strong crowd to seize men’s Challenge Cup title
2018 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
Piraeus, Greece, April 11, 2018. Bunge RAVENNA of Italy are the eventual winners of the 2018 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Men after on Wednesday they claimed their second 3-1 victory (28-26, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18) in as many matches with Greece’s Olympiacos PIRAEUS. Despite 11,800 fans in attendance at Peace and Friendship Stadium and the amazing atmosphere they delivered, Olympiacos could not stop the march of RAVENNA – and lost 1-3 for a second time in one week. Italy’s last title in the competition came in 2016 when Calzedonia VERONA stood on top of the podium in Novy Urengoy, Russia.
• As many as 11,800 fans attended the match at the iconic Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus.
• Austria’s Volleyball star Paul Buchegger was the eventual top scorer of the match for RAVENNA with 21 points and a 56% success rate in attack.
CEV Vice-President Hanno Pevkur awarding the team captain of Bunge RAVENNA, Santiago Orduna
• Olympiacos could only convert 41% of their attempts in attack while RAVENNA out-blocked the hosts 15 to 7 to cement their superiority in the game.
• Olympiacos did not get much help from their second lines when these entered the match.
• With their silver medal, Olympiacos equalled Greece’s best result in the competition as A.C. ORESTIAS had finished second in 1995.
• Since the competition exists under the current denomination, i.e. since the 2007-2008 season, Italian teams have won the title six times. Cimone MODENA did so in 2008, RPA PERUGIA in 2010, Lube Banca Marche MACERATA in 2011, Copra Elior PIACENZA in 2013 and Calzedonia VERONA in 2016.
Fernando Munoz Benitez, head coach of Olympiacos: “I would like to thank our fans for the great atmosphere and for their support until the end of the game. It is a value that you cannot find anywhere else and that is very important for the club. I am very proud of my team, the players, and the staff because they made a great effort during this European campaign. Congratulations to RAVENNA on winning the trophy.”
Konstantinos Christofidelis, captain of Olympiacos: “Congratulations to RAVENNA. I would also like to congratulate the women’s Volleyball team of Olympiacos on winning the Challenge Cup earlier today in Turkey. We expect that the fans will be close to us in the next matches as well. We also hope that the Presidents Vangelis Marinakis and Michalis Kountouris will continue to support the club and we promise that we will try to achieve our main goals which are winning this year’s Greek national championship and national cup.”
Fabio Soli, head coach of Bunge RAVENNA: “I would like to thank the Olympiacos coach and captain for their words. They have our respect. Thank you very much to Olympiacos for their organisation and their excellent hospitality from the beginning, from the arrival at the airport until now. I would like to thank everyone that helped with the preparation and the organisation of this match.”
Paul Buchegger, player of Bunge RAVENNA: “I would like to say that the atmosphere was really good. It was a ‘red hell’. I was happy with the crowd. Surely, we are very satisfied with claiming the trophy and I would like to thank everyone on my team.”
Click here for further information.
|