Champions League: ZAKSA, Berlin and Friedrichshafen to quarterfinals!

After today’s games, we know who are the teams who will join to the quarterfinals of 2022/23 CEV Champions League the already qualified Jastrzebski Wegiel from Poland, Italy’s Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia, Trentino Itas and Cucine Lube Civitanova, and Turkey’s Halkbank Ankara!

The all-Polish clash in the competition’s Playoffs ended with an unplanned five sets battle.
By defeating fellow countrymen from Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in the second leg of the playoffs, 2-3 (28:26, 21:25, 25:23, 19:25, 11:15), Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle, better known in the world of volleyball as ZAKSA, will continue their title defense campaign.
They were better than Aluron 3-0 in the first match on the road but in the rematch, five sets were needed to decide the winners, although the excitement ended after first three sets.
After getting 2-1 in sets, rejecting Aluron’s three set points in the first set, and even overcoming 1-1 in sets, the team coached by Tuomas Sammelvuo could enjoj a little bit of relax. The Finn, in fact, sent backups to the court after that, which Aluron took advantage of and won.
ZAKSA will face Italy’s Trentino Itas in the quarterfinals, the rivals they played against in the competition’s Superfinal in the last two years (and they deservedly won, in both editions).

Also VfB Friedrichshafen are in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and for the first time since 2018!
However, France’s Tours VB missed a huge opportunity today.
After winning 3-0 in the first leg on the road, the Germans won the second leg 3-2 (21:25, 15:25, 25:18, 25:21, 15:11).
It took the Bundesliga side a while to get into the game and initially let the French come close to force a Golden Set!

The only Playoff match-up that had one and not two games on the schedule was between Germany’s Berlin Recycling Volleys and Ziraat Bank Ankara.
The first leg in Turkey was canceled last week due to the terrible earthquake that stroke the country and the CEV and both clubs agreed to play a decider in the German capital.
In it, Berlin defeated Ziraat after a thrilling tie-break (21:25, 15:25, 25:18, 25:21, 15:11) and advanced to the quarterfinals.

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🏐| 2022/23 CEV Champions League | Playoffs | First Leg

| Tuesday | February 7, 2023
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (POL) – Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) 0-3 (23:25, 19:25, 23:25)

| Wednesday | February 8, 2023
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Ziraat Bank Ankara (TUR) – Berlin Recycling Volleys (GER) CANCELED
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Tours VB (FRA) – VfB Friedrichshafen 0-3 (23:25, 21:25, 21:25)

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🏐| 2022/23 CEV Champions League | Playoffs | Second Leg

👉🏼 Wednesday | February 15, 2023

• 18.00 (Local Time) | Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL) – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (POL) 2-3 (28:26, 21:25, 25:23, 19:25, 11:15)