Luxembourg, February 26, 2019. Three teams from Turkey, three from Italy plus one apiece from Russia and Germany will continue their quest for glory in the quarterfinals of the 2019 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Women. After six weeks filled with exciting matches, eight teams remain in contention for Europe’s most coveted Volleyball crown that will be at stake at the Champions League Volley 2019 Super Finals in Berlin on May 18.
• Three teams – VakifBank ISTANBUL, Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL and Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA – finished the pool stage with an impeccable record of six wins in as many matches.
• However, Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA were the only team not to drop a single set in six matches. Titleholders and four-time CL winners VakifBank (pictured below) conceded one, while 2015 gold medal winners Eczacibasi lost three.
• Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL and rookies Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI were the other pool winners. Fenerbahce took much more than the one set they needed to finish first in Pool E as they beat C.S.M. BUCURESTI 3-1 in Romania while SCANDICCI lost 1-3 to SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN but the Italians had booked top spot in Pool D last week already.
• The fans enjoyed a very close fight for the three spots available in the quarterfinals for the runners-up with the best result across all pools. Germany’s Allianz MTV STUTTGART are the surprise package of the season as the undisputed leaders of the Bundesliga beat Maritza PLOVDIV to book their spot in the next round (below left).
• Dinamo MOSCOW (blocking above right) recorded a 3-1 home victory over Chemik POLICE to progress to the quarterfinals. The Muscovites backed up last week’s away victory over Fenerbahce to emerge as the best among all runners-up with a record of five wins and one loss only.
• The Italian ‘Panthers’ from Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO were up to the task as they stormed to a landslide 3-0 home victory over LKS Commercecon LODZ – their only option to claim the last spot available in the next round.
• Imoco Volley are vying for their third straight medal in the competition after winning silver and bronze in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
• The attention turns now to the Drawing of Lots scheduled for March 1, 2019 at 13:00 CET. Click here for further info on the DOL procedure.
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