Vakifbank ISTANBUL
As per the latest European Ranking List – which takes into consideration the results of the last three seasons preceding the one that was completed this past March – and after checking the files submitted by the various National Federations, the following clubs were eventually retained to compose the starting field of the 2014 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Men:
Posojilnica AICH/DOB (AUT)
Knack ROESELARE (BEL)
Noliko MAASEIK (BEL)
Marek Union-Ivkoni DUPNITSA (BUL)
VK OSTRAVA (CZE)
TOURS VB (FRA)
PARIS Volley (FRA)
BERLIN Recycling Volleys (GER)
VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER)
Olympiacos PIRAEUS (GRE)
TRENTINO Diatec (ITA)
Copra Elior PIACENZA (ITA)
Lube Banca Marche MACERATA (ITA)
Budvanska Rivijera BUDVA (MNE)
Asseco Resovia RZESZOW (POL)
Zaksa KEDZIERZYN-KOZLE (POL)
JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (POL)
Tomis CONSTANTA (ROU)
Belogorie BELGOROD (RUS)
Zenit KAZAN (RUS)
ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO)
Arkas IZMIR (TUR)
Halkbank ANKARA (TUR)
Additionally, wild cards were assigned to the following clubs:
Hypo Tirol INNSBRUCK (AUT)
Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE (CZE)
Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK (RUS)
Energy Investments LUGANO (SUI)
Galatasaray ISTANBUL (TUR)
With the only exception being silver medallists Bre Banca Lannutti CUNEO who is set to play in the CEV Volleyball Cup, all teams that highlighted the last act of the 2013 edition held this past March in Omsk will be embarking on yet another campaign for European glory. Three-time winners and four-time club world champions TRENTINO Diatec of Italy are also among the teams set to contribute to a very exciting run right from the prelims whose start is slated for late October.
“Greece’s comeback, via their national champions Olympiacos PIRAEUS, testifies that though this country is still confronted by financial constraints, the Volleyball family there is more than alive. On the other hand, we have been very impressed by the application dropped by Energy Investments LUGANO, a club that will be writing history by adding their home country, Switzerland, to the map of men’s elite Volleyball with a long-term development strategy that shall bear its fruits in the years to come” Mr. Meyer adds.
The 28 participating teams will be divided into seven preliminary pools of four with all first-ranked teams as well as the five second-ranked sides with the best score eventually advancing to the Playoffs 12 to continue there their quest for Europe’s Volleyball crown.
Similarly to the men’s competition, the women’s division will follow up on last year’s premiere to see once again 24 teams fighting for glory. The following clubs are joining the 2014 CEV Volleyball Champions League – Women as per the spots assigned by the latest European Ranking List:
Rabita BAKU (AZE)
Azeryol BAKU (AZE)
GENT Dames (BEL)
Agel PROSTEJOV (CZE)
RC CANNES (FRA)
BEZIERS Volley (FRA)
SCHWERINER SC (GER)
Nordmeccanica PIACENZA (ITA)
Imoco CONEGLIANO (ITA)
Atom Trefl SOPOT (POL)
Tauron MKS DABROWA GORNICZA (POL)
Stiinta BACAU (ROU)
Dinamo Romprest BUCURESTI (ROU)
Dinamo KAZAN (RUS)
Dinamo MOSCOW (RUS)
Omichka OMSK REGION (RUS)
Crvena Zvezda BEOGRAD (RUS)
Volero ZÜRICH (SUI)
Vakifbank ISTANBUL (TUR)
Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL (TUR)
Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL (TUR)
The list of 24 is completed by the wild-cards given to:
Igtisadchi BAKU (AZE)
DRESDNER SC (GER)
Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO (ITA)
“Seven teams will be debuting this year in Europe’s elite Volleyball competition thereby confirming that in almost each and every country the Volleyball scene is very dynamic and that even long-lasting supremacies are sometimes coming to an end” the CEV President points out. “In recent times the traditional Volleyball heavyweights have seen other nations, primarily Turkey and Azerbaijan, sky-rocket to the international elite and I expect the clubs from these countries will be once more a major force to be reckoned with along the way to the final four” Mr. Meyer adds. “Next to this, a Belgian club is participating for the very first time in the women’s competition and this confirms that our Volleyball family does not stop expanding its horizons thereby helping inspire the generations to come”.
The 24 participating teams will be assigned by the DOL to six preliminary groups of four each with the first and second-ranked of each Pool making the Playoffs 12 to re-start from there their chase for the much desired honour of Europe’s “Volleyball queens”.
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