2024/25 CEV Champions League, 66th edition, started this week with all games valid for First Leg.
Greece’s powerhouse Olympiacos Piraeus made an impressive debut with a dominant 0-3 (15:25, 17:25, 15:25) victory over Strumica in North Macedonia.
This win sets the stage for their advancement to the third qualifying round, where they will face either Guaguas Las Palmas from Spain or Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal.
Olympiacos faced little resistance, showcasing their strengths and potential, despite still being in the preparation phase.
Top scorers included Aleksandar Atanasijević, who excelled with 15 points (15/18 attacks and 2 blocks), and Mitar Đurić, who dominated the first set.
The return match is scheduled for September 24 in Greece, where Olympiacos has the opportunity to confirm their qualification.
The competition continued on Wednesday with other 3 games.
In Montenegro, Croatia’s Mladost Zagreb defeated the hosts Budva by 1-3 (25:22, 24:26, 20:25, 20:25).
The winners, led in score by Stipe Perić and Sven Jakopec, authors of 15 and 12 points respectively, made the difference above all in blocking, scoring as many as 18 points from this element (only 5 for the hosts).
Also Austrian Champions Hypo Tirol Innsbruck made first step towards next stage with a clear win in Hungary, on the field of Fino Kaposvar, 0-3 (15:25, 16:25, 24:26), struggling only in third set, with 13 winning blocks (5 for the hosts), 53% of team performance in attack (to 36%) and 18 points from top scorer Przemyslaw Kupka (67% in attack and 2 winning blocks).
At Centro Insular de Deportes of Las Palmas, the hosts Guaguas defeated Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal with the score of 3-1 (27:25, 25:20, 21:25, 26:24) with 26 points from a great Francisco Wallyson Bezerra Souza (66% in attack and 3 winning blocks) while Switzerland’s Volley Schönenwerd won on the field of Jēkabpils Lūši from Latvia in four sets too, 1-3 (16:25, 25:23, 14:25, 21:25), with 14 winning blocks and 4 players in double digit: Mischa Von Burg, top scorer with 18 points, Andrin and Cyrin Kolb, who added 17 each, and Ryan Coenen, with 10.
On Thursday, Selver x Taltech Tallinn from Estonia defeated The Netherlands’ Orion Stars Doetinchem without major problems with a clean 3-0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:21) led by Australian Lincoln Williams (16 points with 1 ace, 1 block and 50% in attack).
Straight sets victories, both on the road, also for Romania’s CSM Corona Brasov on the field of Belarus’ OK Radnik Bijeljina, 0-3 (20:25, 22:25, 15:25) and for Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda Beograd in Cyprus’ against the hosts of Omonia Nicosia, 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 14:25), with 19 points from top scorer Ahmed Omar (19 points including 3 aces, 1 block and an impressive 83% in attack).
Next week Second Leg games, from Tuesday to Thursday. Full programm here or below.
____________________
🏐| CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2024/25 |Round 1
FIRST LEG
Tuesday September 17, 2024
• 19.00 (Local Time) | VC Strumica (MKD) – Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) 0-3 (15:25, 17:25, 15:25)
📍Park Strumica
Wednesday September 18, 2024
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Budva (MNE) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 1-3 (25:22, 24:26, 20:25, 20:25)
📍Mediteranski Sportski Centar Budva
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Fino Kaposvar (HUN) – Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) 0-3 (15:25, 16:25, 24:26)
📍Kaposvár Aréna
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Guaguas Las Palmas (ESP) – Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 3-1 (27:25, 25:20, 21:25, 26:24)
📍Centro Insular de Deportes Las Palmas
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Jēkabpils Lūši (LAT) – Volley Schönenwerd (SUI) 1-3 (16:25, 25:23, 14:25, 21:25)
📍Jēkabpils Sport Hall
Thursday September 19, 2024
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Selver x Taltech Tallinn (EST) – Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED) 3-0 (25:20, 25:21, 25:21)
📍Kalev Sports Hall Tallinn
• 18.00 (Local Time) | OK Radnik Bijeljina (BIH) – CSM Corona Brasov (ROU) 0-3 (20:25, 22:25, 15:25)
📍SD Arena Gradiška
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Omonia Nicosia (CYP) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) 0-3 (22:25, 23:25, 14:25)
📍Tassos Papadopoulos Eleftheria Nicosia
_____________
SECOND LEG
Tuesday September 24, 2024
📍Ustanova Sportski Centar “Voždovac” Belgrade
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) – Omonia Nicosia (CYP) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:19)
📍Melina Merkouri Rentis
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Olympiacos Piraeus (GRE) – VC Strumica (MKD) 3-0 (25:19, 25:17, 25:21)
Wednesday September 25, 2024
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Hypo Tirol Innsbruck (AUT) – Fino Kaposvar (HUN) 3-0 (25:19, 25:21, 25:21)
📍Olympiahalle Innsbruck
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Volley Schönenwerd (SUI) – Jēkabpils Lūši (LAT) 3-1 (25:23, 25:22, 17:25, 25:19)
📍Betoncoupe Arena Schönenwerd
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED) – Selver x Taltech Tallinn (EST) 3-1 (20:25, 25:20, 25:17, 25:19) GOLDEN SET: 15-13
📍SaZa Topsporthal Doetinchem
• 20.00 (Local Time) | CSM Corona Brasov (ROU) – OK Radnik Bijeljina (BIH) 3-0 (25:15, 25:19, 25:19)
📍Sports Hall ”Dumitru Popescu Colibasi” Brasov
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) – Guaguas Las Palmas (ESP) 3-1 (25:17, 21:25, 26:24, 31:29) GOLDEN SET: 11-15
📍Sports Hall Benfica Lisboa – Pavilhão n.º2
Thursday September 26, 2024
📍Dom Odbojke Bojan Stranic Zagreb
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Mladost Zagreb (CRO) – Budva (MNE) 3-2 (23:25, 37:39, 25:15, 26:24, 15:13)
____________________
👀|QUICK LINKS
• AGENDA 📝🏐
• 2024/25 CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – CALENDAR
• All news from European Cups 🏆
• Multimedia
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
__________________