Munich, Germany, February 7, 2012. After losing its first match in domestic competitions this season Generali UNTERHACHING looks very much like “David meeting Goliath” when they go into their return game for the Playoffs 12 of the 2012 CEV Volleyball Champions League against Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK.
After a long trip to Siberia’s largest city Generali UNTERHACHING needs nothing short of a miracle to advance to the Playoffs 6. They have to win the match there and force an instantly played golden set, but they also have to do so without three of their best players: due to sickness libero Sebastian Prüsener (see picture, number 18) as well as spikers Christian Dünnes (see picture, number 16) and Denis Kaliberda (see picture, next to Prüsener) were ordered to stay at home by coach Mihai Paduretu when the team took off to NOVOSIBIRSK on Monday.
“We don’t improve their health if we fly them around the world”, Paduretu explains his decision to leave three of his starters behind. “Our focus has to be on the league and the cup final as well. That’s when the guys have to be fit again. The Champions League right now is not our main competition, though it is enormously important to gather experience”, the coach added. He also stated: “Without any experience from matches against top teams you won’t be able to win the national championship”. Prüsener, Dünnes and Kaliberda were already nursing a cold when they started the game against BERLIN on Sunday, the first chance for Generali to secure the number-one spot for the Playoffs of the Bundesliga.

Against the Russian cup winner libero Prüsener will be replaced by Robert Hupka, while youngsters Simon Hirsch and Tom Strohbach take on the role of Dünnes and Kaliberda, respectively. Dünnes will keep his fingers crossed at home while hoping for the unbelievable to happen. “Maybe the Russians underestimate us”, he says. Captain Max Günthör (see picture, number 9) wants to put up a fight with the remaining team, claiming: “We want to get to the next round”. That is seconded by manager Josef Köck who states that “nothing has been decided yet”. Coach Paduretu promises that “we will fight and try everything”, though he admits that “realistically we don’t stand a big chance. It’ll be very difficult to get to the next round”.

To tackle with the time difference of six hours Generali UNTERHACHING basically ignores the problem. “We’ll try to keep our daily rhythm. That should work during such a short trip” team-manager Frank Kahlmann explains. At least the team won’t be too surprised by the Siberian cold. Over the weekend temperatures in Bavaria had dropped to as low as 28 degrees Celsius.
Included in the trip will be some sightseeing. For 90 minutes on Tuesday the German delegation will ride a bus through NOVOSIBIRSK. “It was the players’ wish”, coach Paduretu explains. “It’s for sure a pity that as an athlete you travel the world but don’t get to see anything but hotels and sports arenas”. Ukrainian-born Alexander Shafranovich will be asked to serve as a translator throughout the trip.