26/03/2019 23:30
David vs. Goliath as MONZA challenge Belogorie for #CEVChallengeCupM title
2019 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
Belgorod, Russia, March 26, 2019. One of Europe’s most decorated teams, Belogorie BELGOROD host rookies Vero Volley MONZA in the grand finale of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Men. The Italian team, who are making their maiden appearance in the European Cups, resume their quest for what would be a historic achievement from the 3-2 home victory they claimed last week. However, Belogorie sound determined to make amends for it and to complete their collection of European titles – which includes three Champions League crowns and two from the CEV Cup already.
• The head coach of Vero Volley MONZA, Fabio Soli, won the last edition of the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup while working with Italy’s Bunge RAVENNA. They beat Olympiacos PIRAEUS of Greece in last year’s finals.
• The head coach of Belogorie BELGOROD, Slobodan Kovac is yet to win any titles in club competitions.
• For Vero Volley MONZA, this final is a chance to win their first European trophy ever, while Belogorie BELGOROD can complete their collection of European club titles with the still missing Challenge Cup gold medal.
• The organisers expect the highest record of attendance for this season when Belogorie host Vero Volley at Sports Palace Cosmos.
Denis Zemchenok, captain of Belogorie BELGOROD: “The match in Italy was not so good for us. In almost every set, we had to catch up with the home team and this took a lot of energy from us. We hope to correct our mistakes and to play as a number one. I hope the home court will help us and the crowd will push us forward to the victory.”
Slobodan Kovac, head coach of Belogorie BELGOROD: “I am satisfied that we are here, that we reached the finals. This is an important achievement for the team. The club has many titles already but these players did not take part in any of such prior achievements. That is why we are hungry for the victory and we will do our best to win although it will not be easy as the Italian team is very strong and they know how to win even against a strong opponent.”
Thomas Beretta, captain of Vero Volley MONZA: “It will not be easy for us to win because we do not play at home. We won the first match in Monza but this does not mean anything. The real final is tomorrow.”
Fabio Soli, head coach of Vero Volley MONZA: “Tomorrow we will play in a truly iconic place for Volleyball. This means a lot for us. This is our first European final, and we want to win it although we understand that it will not be easy. The team of Belogorie has very tall and powerful players. This does not make it easy for our attackers. That is why we have to play smart and use our advantage in some other elements of the game.”
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