Montichiari, Italy, April 10, 2016. The final day of the 2016 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League – Women is reaching its peak today with home team Pomì CASALMAGGIORE starring in the final. They will play VakifBank ISTANBUL for the most coveted Volleyball crown in Europe. Margareta Anna Kozuch stood out as best player in the semi-final match against Dinamo KAZAN and looks forward to playing the grand finale.
The number 14 of Pomì CASALMAGGIORE starts saying: “In a competition like this, I really feel European and that makes me forget I’m the only German player here. However, it’s exciting to know that there are many fans supporting me back at home. For some years I have been moving forward with my career and the most important moments are linked to the support I have been receiving from my fans. I am really grateful for that.”
It is Margareta’s first year playing for the Italian host of the Final Four, but she has been impressed by the evolution the club has made over the last years: “I love playing for Pomì CASALMAGGIORE. I have seen them grow last year and now playing my first year with them, it is just lovely. My teammates are fantastic, we have a lot of fun with the girls and that makes it all a great experience. I look forward to going on the court with them later today and play that final.”
She continues with looking at the season she and her team had. “It has been a tough year for most Volleyball players being it an Olympic year. Some of us have been fighting against the fatigue of the many matches and training sessions we have had. During the season we have had some ups and downs because of that, but we have as a team always been helping each other.”
As a club the team of Casalmaggiore had only played three European home matches - and another three away - before starting at this Final Four. However, for Margareta this doesn’t matter too much: “The girls with more experience have been helping the girls that are performing at this level for the first time, and the others have been helping us at the moments we needed them. That gave a good balance in the team and compensated for our club not having such a big European experience.”
After a fantastic 3-0 victory against Dinamo KAZAN on Saturday, she is motivated to start the fight for the first place. “Yesterday’s win came maybe as a sort of surprise, but we really believed in it and apparently our fans did also. The vibe of our team and how the supporters cheered us on drove us towards the victory.”
“It was absolutely a team victory. Even though individually we all did a good job, the victory belongs to the team effort we did,” she added showing humbleness and much respect towards her teammates and coaching staff.
Looking ahead to the team they will face tonight, “Maggie” adds: “We know VakifBank very well and they also know us. They are probably one of the best teams in the world and a game against them is always difficult but all matches start at 0 for both teams and the most important thing is to just enjoy the game and then everything becomes possible.”
The match will also have an extra dimension for her as she faces her former coach on the German national team, Giovanni Guidetti. “I don’t think any of us will need any extra motivation, arriving at this stage of the Champions League is already a massive motivator. We just need to believe that we can win, just like we did yesterday. A final stays a final and as such everything can happen,” Margareta concludes before joining her teammates on the way back to the hotel.
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