Belchatow, Poland, February 12, 2014. PGE Skra BELCHATOW needs a win in Thursday’s clash with VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN to confirm its place among the best four teams of the 2014 CEV Volleyball Cup - Men tournament. The 7-time champions of Poland won the first-leg Challenge Round match in Germany by 3:2 after a 130-minute battle.
The two clubs had already crossed their paths on four occasions in the European Cups. “I remember those matches in the pool stage of the CEV Volleyball Champions League. One season we lost two times, the other we managed to beat VfB at home and away. It was always 3:0. Now it is a completely different story. I expect a very tight match,” contemplates Skra middle blocker Daniel Plinski, who will miss the game due to an injury of the finger, broken in the second match against another German opponent - Generali UNTERHACHING.
Argentinian Facundo Conte, who should be a key player in the match, could not agree more with his teammate: “We have to be very concentrated and stay calm no matter what happens. The Germans play really well and serving is their lethal weapon. If we manage to receive in a good way, we will win.”
VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN missed out on a spot in the Playoff 12 stage of the 2014 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League and will try to fight for a different trophy – the one presented to the winner of the second most prestigious club competition in Europe. However, to be promoted to the best four, the Germans need to win by 3:0 or 3:1 or look for a chance in the Golden Set after beating PGE Skra by 3:2.
“We know what we have to do. I hope we will play better than in the first leg and avoid some simple mistakes,” states VfB coach Stelian Moculescu.
“I expect my players to show good volleyball and win. We are dreaming about lifting the cup and do not want to spoil our dreams. We want to continue playing on a high level,” says PGE Skra mentor Miguel Angel Falasca.
Before the first leg in Germany the presidents of both clubs signed an agreement for cooperation and exchange of experience in volleyball training. “This agreement is symbolic and will not influence the game. We wanted to underline the good relations we have with our German friends and express our will to have even better contacts in future,” PGE Skra president Konrad Piechocki comments.
The match on Thursday starts at 18:00 local time at the Energia competition hall in Belchatow.