DOL for the Playoffs 12
This was announced on Thursday only a few minutes before the start of DOL for the Playoffs 12 of Europe’s most elitist competition. The women’s final four will return to Turkey’s megalopolis after two years – Vakifbank seized the trophy there in 2011 – and will take place through March 9-10, while the last and deciding act of the men’s division is set to take place in the city of Omsk, some 2’200 km from Moscow. The last time this absolute highlight of the Volleyball season was held in Russia dates back to 2007 and it was Germany’s VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN to cause a sensation there by claiming the trophy in Russia’s capital city.
The venues of the finals were announced by CEV Vice President Jan Hronek as CEV President André Meyer could not attend due to other commitments.
The DOL for the Playoffs 12 then followed under the supervision of Mrs. Riet Ooms, President of the European Cups Commission (ECC), starting with the women’s division.
Mrs. Ooms drew the 12 teams qualified for the knock-out phase by taking into account the necessity to have a maximum of two teams from the same country eventually qualified for the final four and to avoid that teams stemming from the same prelim Pool cross their ways again already in the next round.
The draw for the Playoffs 12 that are scheduled for January 15-17 (home matches) and 22-24 (away matches) reads as follows:
RC CANNES (FRA) vs. Rabita BAKU (AZE)
Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) vs. Dinamo KAZAN (RUS)
AsystelCarnaghi VILLA CORTESE (ITA) vs. Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL (TUR)
Atom Trefl SOPOT (POL) vs. Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR)
SCHWERINER SC (GER) vs. Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO (ITA)
Azerrail BAKU (AZE) vs. Lokomotiv BAKU (AZE)
The Playoffs 6 will follow in the first two weeks of February while the final four is scheduled for March 9-10, 2012.
The draw for the Playoffs 12 of the men’s competition (home and away matches will be played, with the team mentioned first in the pairs listed here below playing the first match at home) reads as follows:
BERLIN Recycling Volleys (GER) vs. Zenit KAZAN (RUS)
Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS) vs. TRENTINO Diatec (ITA)
Zaksa KEDZIERZYN-KOZLE (POL) vs. Noliko MAASEIK (BEL)
Arkas IZMIR (TUR) vs. PGE Skra BELCHATOW (POL)
Asseco Resovia RZESZOW (POL) vs. Lube Banca Marche MACERATA (ITA)
ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. Bre Banca Lannutti CUNEO (ITA)
The Playoffs 6 scheduled for early February will determine the three teams that will join Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK for the final four coming up next March 16-17, 2013.
The DOL for the Challenge Round of the 2013 CEV Volleyball Cup scheduled for the second half of January and that will run concurrently with the Playoffs 12 of the CEV Volleyball Champions League was also finalized this morning and its outcome reads as follows (teams listed first in the pairings here below will play the first match at home):
Men
Generali UNTERHACHING (GER) vs. Andreoli LATINA (ITA)
Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE (CZE) vs. Maliye Milli Piyango ANKARA (TUR)
Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) vs. Knack ROESELARE (BEL)
TOURS VB (FRA) vs. Lokomotiv KHARKIV (UKR)
Women
2004 Tomis CONSTANTA (ROU) vs. Omichka OMSK REGION (RUS) or Baki-Azeryol BAKU (AZE)
Bank BPS Fakro MUSZYNA (POL) vs. Aluprof BIELSKO-BIALA (POL)
Fenerbahce SK ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. Tauron MKS DABROWA GORNICZA (POL)
SES CALAIS (FRA) vs. Uralochka-NTMK EKATERINBURG (RUS)
For more volleyball news from the Champions League – Men click here
