03/02/2012 15:45
Generali UNTERHACHING is reaching out for top of the charts
News from the clubs
Munich, Germany, February 3, 2012. Between the games against Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK in the Playoffs 12 of the 2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League Generali UNTERHACHING must squeeze in an important game in the German Bundesliga.
After cruising through both national competitions so far unbeaten Generali UNTERHACHING just needs one victory out of its last three games to start the knockout-phase of the German Bundesliga as the number-one seed. Coach Mihai Paduretu leaves no doubt that he wants his side to already secure its position with the first match-point: “We need but one victory to secure first place, and we want to get this win right away against BERLIN”, he states before the game on Sunday at Generali Sports Arena.
That won’t come easy though. BERLIN is keeping an eye on the number two spot, but therefore needs a win with UNTERHACHING and against defending champion and Champions League competitor VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN. Coach Mark Lebedew’s side is also out for revenge, having both lost the first league game and the quarterfinal in the German cup against Generali.
Paul Carroll, who played for UNTERHACHING last season and is now with the team from the German capital, has nothing but good words for his former club. “They are playing a breathtaking season. Even early on they already played exceptional at every position” he says, remembering the devastating defeat in BERLIN from last December 1 (0:3) by the hands of Generali. “They were the better team back then”, Carroll says, “but we have improved, we’ve got more confidence now and are in a position to win. I’ll go into the match enthusiastic and with a lot of confidence”.
UNTERHACHING coach actually is not very amused that his team has to play a strong opponent in between the games against NOVOSIBIRSK. “I don’t like this one coming in the middle of our Champions League matches. First of all, the physical strain on my players is already high enough. In addition, we are in danger of thinking too much about the return game against Lokomotiv. However, we need all our concentration for BERLIN. They are a great team and can’t be pushed aside just like that”, Paduretu says.
Though UNTERHACHING is in a comfortable position in the league and could easily afford a loss, that’s definitely not on Paduretu’s mind. “Of course we want to keep the points. We have nothing to give away”. And with a win and the number-one spot secured Generali could get a little boost for the long trip to NOVOSIBIRSK. On Monday the Germans will fly via Moscow across six time-zones for the return game against Lokomotiv coming up on Wednesday.
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