18/10/2011 12:34
European medalists expected to help Lube Banca Marche for opening match against rookie Lokomotiv
2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Men
Macerata, Italy, October 18, 2011. Lube Banca Marche MACERATA is well ready for its first home match of the 2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League scheduled for this Thursday as the Italians – winner of this elitist competition back in 2002 – play host to Russian rookie Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK. MACERATA – which is participating for the sixth time in the Champions League – was assigned by the Drawing of Lots to Pool E that includes, apart from Lokomotiv, also Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK of Austria and Turkey’s Fenerbahce ISTANBUL.
“I think that Lokomotiv is the toughest opponent in our Pool” says head coach Alberto Giuliani about the winner of last year’s Russian Cup. “Therefore it is very important to start our campaign with a good result. The Russians had some more time to prepare for the opening of the season but I am confident that my players know how they shall take this. Openly said, we want to make it to the final stage of this competition” he states.
The roster of Lube Banca Marche MACERATA includes 8 players that recently joined the EuroVolley 2011 in Austria and the Czech Republic, with five returning back after medaling there: Serbia’s Marko Podrascanin and Dragan Stankovic with gold, Cristian Savani, Dragan Travica and Simone Parodi with silver.
Lube has enjoyed a splendid start of the season in the national league, with four wins in as many matches, including one from the last round against triple World champion TRENTINO PlanetWin365. Therefore everyone is expecting to stretch that streak also to the Champions League as the game with Lokomotiv is likely to be attended by many students and pupils who were offered special entrance tickets by the club.
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