Champions League: Kazan and Trentino complete the semifinal bracket!

Zenit Kazan will be playing in the semifinals of the CEV Champions League, after beating PGE Skra Belchatow in the second leg 3-2 (22:25, 25:19, 25:17, 13:25, 15:12).
The Russian team needed two sets since they scored a good result in Poland, beating the rival in four sets a week ago.
Belchatow opened this game in a good way but the home team managed to win the next two sets and to knock out the polish side from the competition. The last two sets didn’t decide anything so both sides played just to finish the game. Maxim Mikhailov and Bartosz Bednorz scored 15 points each, while Earvin Ngapeth added 12 points for the winners.
In PGE Skra Belchatow, Milad Ebadipour had 10 points.

On the other today’s match, Trentino have taken the last ticket for the semifinals. BR Volleys didn’t have many chances in this clash vs. italian powerhouse, since Trentino showed much more, deserving to play in the semifinals. Nimir Abdel Aziz was the best scorer with 12 points, while on the other side no players had a double digit, as Benjamin Patch was the most prolific player with 8 points.

Nimir Abdel-Aziz, player of Trentino Volley: “We’re happy we manage to qualify to the semifinal because it’s exactly what we wanted and we achieved it playing a good match. Now we still have to play the Italian derby against Perugia – it will be even more difficult.”

Eder Carbonera, player of Berlin Recycling Volleys: “I’m glad I managed to come back to Trento, a place where I’ve always felt good. We played well during the first two sets, but the opponent team was just stronger than us.”

And thus in the semifinals there are two Italian teams Trentino and Perugia, one Polish team, Zaksa and one Russian team, Zenit Kazan.
One Italian team will play in the finals because Trentino and Perugia will meet in the semis, while Zenit Kazan will play against Zaksa.

| 2021 CEV Volleyball Champions League, playoff quarterfinals – 1st leg:
| February 23, 2021
• Leo Shoes Modena – Sir Safety Perugia 3-0 (25:21, 25:18, 25:22)

| February 24
• Cucine Lube Civitanova – Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn Kozle 1-3 (23:25, 25:14, 21:25, 21:25)
• PGE Skra Belchatow – Zenit Kazan 1-3 (23:25, 25:19, 23:25, 19:25)

| February 25
• Berlin Recycling Volleys – Itas Trentino (19:25, 23:25, 28:26, 17:25)

| Second Leg
| March 2
• Sir Safety Perugia – Leo Shoes Modena 3-0 (25:23, 25:18, 25:21 – GOLDEN SET 15:5)

| March 3
• Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn Kozle – Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-0 (22:25, 24:26, 24:26 – GOLDEN SET: 16:14)

| March 4
• Zenit Kazan – PGE Skra Belchatow 3-2 (22:25, 25:19, 25:17, 13:25, 15:12)

• Itas Trentino – Berlin Recycling Volleys 3-0 (25:22, 25:21, 25:21)

Source and photos: CEV