Luxembourg, February 20, 2020. With the drawing of lots today, the players, coaching staff, and fans from the 8 qualified teams of #CLVolleyM finally can find out their opponent in the final phase. Every team poses a unique threat, every match up a different challenge that will change how each club approaches the tournament. While lineups & strategy are not certain until the first serve is tossed in the air, here our some initial thoughts about the draws for the quarter-finals. 

Article by Daniel Meneley - CEV Digital Content Coordinator

Knack Roeselare vs Cucine Lube Civitanova

Going up against reigning Champions League winners Cucine Lube Civitanova would not be an easy task for any team. They have not lost a Champions League match since the finals against Zenit Kazan in 2018, a 17-game winning streak. Knack has had a strong Champions League campaign, with strong performances from opposite Hendrik Tuerlinckx, setter Brett Walsh, & middle blocker Daniel Jansen Vandoorn. But Lube Civitanova is 2nd place in the most competitive domestic league in Europe, and can’t even unleash their full lineup in that competition due to foreign player restrictions. With Mateusz Bieniek, Yoandy Leal, Roberlandy Simon, Bruno, & Kamil Rychlicki all on the court at once, even standing in the way of a repeat for Lube is a monumental task. 

Itas Trentino vs Jastrzebski Wegiel

One of the biggest surprises of the 4th round this year was the total dominance of Polish club Jastrzebski Wegiel. While certainly home to talented players, their 4th place record in the Plusliga would not suggest total European domination. But they did just that in Pool C, beating Maaseik, Halkbank Ankara, and Zenit Kazan (twice!!) en route to a first place finish. Big parts of that were new addition Graham Vigrass and the emergence of Polish outside hitter Tomasz Fornal, who was upgraded from bench relief to the primary option on offense. Trentino was a surprise too, but in the other direction. They were the last place team that qualified, despite a star studded roster with players like Simone Giannelli, Srecko Lisinac, Uros Kovacevic, Jenia Grebennikov, & Aaron Russell. But now that both teams are qualified, the past few months do not necessarily indicate the future. 

Fakel Novy Urengoy vs Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia

Don’t underestimate first-time Champions League competitors Fakel Novy Urengoy. They managed to place first in the deep pool B against Kuzbass Kemerovo, Berlin Recycling Volleys, & ACH Volley Ljubljana despite injuries to some key players. They will have their work cut out for them against the undefeated Perugia though, who didn’t break much of a sweat on their way to a 6-0 record in the group stage. Perugia’s most dangerous weapon is their serve, with Wilfredo Leon, Aleksandar Atanasijevic, & Oleh Plotnytskyi all among the world’s best. If there is any team that can match their physicality though, it is Fakel, with wings Dmitrii Volkov, Egor Kliuka, & Krisztian Padar all capable of playing well over a metre above the net. Both of these teams are medal contenders, which makes for an exciting quarter-finals series. 

Kuzbass Kemerovo vs Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle

The lone team from the 4th round that didn’t drop a single set, Polish club Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle is a formidable opponent. American middle blocker David Smith has filled in for the departed Mateusz Bieniek quite well, while Hungarian opposite Arpad Baroti played so well he has taken the starting spot from Lukasz Kaczmarek. The reigning Russian champions have not had a storybook season like last year, standing in 4th place in the Russian league, but with high-flying opposite Victor Poletaev finally back from injury and physical blockers at every position, their net game is almost impossible to match.