Champions League: Trentino Itas and Jastrzębski Węgiel to semifinals!

Both second leg of CEV Volleyball Champions League Quarterfinals were played today.

In the afternoon Italy’s Trentino Itas reached the semi-final of the competition for the 7th time in their history out of a total of 11 participations.
The result, 3-2 (25:21, 25:22, 9:25, 21:25, 15:13), achieved in Germany’s capital against Berlin Recycling Volleys have opened the doors of the semi-final to the winners, which therefore remained among the 4 best teams in Europe for the second consecutive year.
In fact, last season they had achieved this goal by overcoming the same rival!

The hosts were up for a real feat because, after 2 sets, they had 2-0 and were ready to play the Golden Set, as the first match ended with a score of 3-0 for Trentino.
However, in the 3rd set, the team commanded by Angelo Lorenzetti trampled over the rivals, with a 25-9. Berlin put the vice-champions in trouble in the 4th set but Trentino repelled their raid and scheduled a semi-final face-off against rivals for the title in the domestic SuperLega, Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia.
The German team achieved a comfort win in the tie-break.
Alessandro Michieletto top-scored the winning side with 22 points, including 5 aces, while Giulio Pinali made 4 blocks.

Timothée Carle, MVP of the match and player of BR Volleys: “It was a very intensive match, and we really put everything into it. It’s hard to go through three or four sets against such a physically strong opponent. I’m still incredibly proud of the team. It was a great Champions League season for us, including today’s match. There was an energy in the arena that I haven’t experienced in the two years I’ve been here. It was great and, despite this defeat, it makes us look forward to the local playoffs a bit. We want to win the last remaining title!”

Angelo Lorenzetti, Head coach of Trentino Itas: “We are obviously happy, because reaching the goal of remaining among the top four teams in the Champions League was anything but simple. We knew this match was going to be very difficult; the players did well to come back. I have often congratulated this group, but in this case, we got a little too much tension and woke up only when we felt the danger of going to a golden set. There isn’t much time left, but in this aspect, we will have to grow further from now until the end of the season “.

Also the other match ended at tie break, and Poland’s Jastrzebski Wegiel defeat Italian powerhouse Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-2 (24:26, 23:25, 28:26, 25:19, 15:12).
The guests take the first two sets, but Jastrzebski survive in the third set, an ace by Fornal brings them back in the game. The hosts secure the fourth set and that’s enough to fly to the semifinals!

For the second year in a row, Cucine Lube Civitanova got eliminated by a Polish team in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The PlusLiga titleholders defended 2 match balls in the 3rd set, preventing Lube from completing a full of control of the match with a Golden Set.
The Czech Jan Hadrava top-scored the winning side with 23 points, while Tomasz Fornal served 4 aces and Rafał Szymura had 83% attack (10/12).
In the semis, Jastrzębski will face the defender of the title, Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn-Koźle, better known as ZAKSA, which will be the second-ever Polish semi-final in the Champions League history.

Tomasz Fornal, MVP of the match and player of Jastrzebski Wegiel: “It is really difficult to say anything right now, there are so many emotions! Our fans helped us so much, by creating this great atmosphere, and this is a victory for them! We were close to taking the first or the second set, but I am also glad that we came back afterwards, showing great fighting spirit, and now we are in Top 4!”

Osmany Juantorena, outside hitter of of Cucine Lube Civitanova: “The big upset tonight is that we had two chances to close the game 3-0, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to seize them. Overall, I think we have to congratulate our opponents, because they certainly deserved the qualification, interpreting the double challenge better than us “.