12/11/2018 19:00
Last two tickets to #CLVolleyW group stage at stake in Stuttgart and Mulhouse
2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Women
Luxembourg, November 12, 2018. It is time to decide the last two teams that will make it to the pool stage of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Women. CSM Volei Alba BLAJ and Budowlani ŁÓDŹ will be trying to capitalise on the 3-1 wins they claimed last week whilst Allianz MTV STUTTGART and ASPTT MULHOUSE VB are hoping to use the home-court advantage to stay alive in the competition and vie for an all-important Golden Set. The live streaming of both matches will be available at LAOLA1.tv; make sure you follow the CEV’s social media channels for further updates under the official hashtag #CLVolleyW.
Allianz MTV STUTTGART (GER) vs. CSM Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU)
• With Lora Kitipova, CSM Volei Alba BLAJ are travelling to Stuttgart with a player, who already knows the SCHARRena very well. Kitipova wore the blue jersey of Allianz MTV STUTTGART in the 2012-2013 season.
• The hosts will be playing their sixth match in 21 days, as they are participating in three different competitions: the German national league, national cup and the CEV Volleyball Champions League. They have contested six matches with only one loss this far, i.e. last week to BLAJ in Romania.
• The Germans have a perfect record of four wins in as many matches they have played at home this season so far.
Ioannis Athanasopoulos, head coach of Allianz MTV STUTTGART: “It will be a difficult game. CSM Volei Alba BLAJ is a very good team with experienced players and we have to do everything perfect if we want to have a chance to win. We count on our fans to come to SCHARRena and support us. They can be our seventh player on the court.”
Kim Renkema, Sports Director of Allianz MTV STUTTGART: “It will be very challenging to make it to the pool phase of the CEV Champions League after losing the first match. We have to play from the start as we did towards the end of the match in Sibiu to have a slight chance against this very strong team. We know we have to win sets. Everyone knows what to do.”
Darko Zakoc, head coach of CSM Volei Alba BLAJ: “For sure it is going to be a difficult situation on both sides. From what we have seen in the first match, these two are equal teams. Only small details decided the outcome of the first match in our favour. However, we are ready and we are confident that after two matches featuring two very good teams, at the end we will be the eventual winners. I hope we play as we are able to and as we did in the first two sets last week.”
ASPTT MULHOUSE VB (FRA) vs. Budowlani ŁÓDŹ (POL)
• This is the second home match for ASPTT MULHOUSE VB in the CEV Volleyball Champions League this season after they beat ZOK Bimal-Jedinstvo BRČKO of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the previous round.
• The first match turned into a very close battle with Budowlani having the upper hand.
• Both teams have just played away from home in their respective national leagues, which makes Tuesday’s fixture an even more demanding one.
Magali Magail, head coach of ASPTT MULHOUSE VB: “We are ready for the challenge ahead. It will be up to us to write the story of the match, to stay focussed and keep calm.”
Athina Papafotiou, setter of ASPTT MULHOUSE VB: “I am sure it is going to be a very tough game, as it was in Poland, where little details decided the eventual outcome. We believe we can win and qualify but we are also well aware that against a team like Budowlani, with the quality of their players, we all need to play at our top level. We are ready for this! I expect to be an even closer fight than in Poland because now both teams know a little bit more about the opponent. We are determined and excited to play this game and win the ticket to the pool stage. It is going to be a great challenge!”
Błażej Krzyształowicz, head coach of Budowlani ŁÓDŹ: “It will be hard game against MULHOUSE. We have to put pressure on such a good team with our outside spikers and tactics. We will be taking to the court thinking only about the victory and nothing else.”
Jaroslava Pencova, middle blocker of Budowlani: “We know that a tough match lies ahead. The first three sets of the first game were extremely open until the end and I hope that the same will happen on Tuesday. The team from Mulhouse will for sure want to win and bring the game to a Golden Set but I hope we will be focused and will play our own game so that we can qualify to the group stage of the Champions League.”
Femke Stoltenborg, setter of Budowlani: “The home match against MULHOUSE was a close one and exciting to see for the spectators. I think both teams can still improve a lot and the game Tuesday at their home will not be easy. I expect a great fight from both teams.”
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