31/10/2016 08:49
Long-time Slovenian champions excited before start of a new Champions League season
2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League - Men
Ljubljana, Slovenia, October 31, 2016. Slovenia’s multiple champions ACH Volley LJUBLJANA are again set to take part in the elite CEV Volleyball Champions League. As per the revamped format of the competition, ACH Volley will start their campaign in the second round facing Omonia NICOSIA from Cyprus.
The best Slovenian team in recent years started the new season participating in as many as four competitions. As the club’s president Mr Rasto Oderlap said at a press conference held earlier this month, the club’s goals remain high: ACH Volley want to take the crown in Slovenia’s national league and national cup, reach the finals of the MEVZA Cup and qualify to the group phase of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Men or at least make it to the quarter-finals of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Cup.
The team’s roster is pretty different comparing to the past season. Head coach Zoran Kedačič explained that the team has started the 2016-2017 season still in the preparation phase and is hoping that his players will be able to perform at their best for the beginning of November when they face the Cypriot team of Omonia NICOSIA in the second round of the 2017 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Men. The eventual winners of this tie will play France’s Arago de SETE in the third round where a ticket to the group stage will be at stake.
The first match will take place in Cyprus on November 2 and the second in Stožice Arena four days later, where the so-called ‘Orange Dragons’ hope to have strong support from the home crowd. Team captain Andrej Flajs added: “We take the matches in the national championship and in the MEVZA Cup as a preparation for the Champions League. Hopefully our confidence will grow with every match and achieved victory so we’ll be prepared enough to qualify for the next round.”
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