CLVolleyM: Volleyball stars ready to shine again
Volleyball fans all around the world count the days until the beginning of Round 4 of the CEV Champions League Volleyball 2024 - Men. The new campaign promises to deliver again exhilarating clashes between European powerhouses and give an opportunity to see in action the world's greatest Volleyball stars. The teams are all geared up for this season, so let's take a look at their stellar lineups.
Three-time back-to-back #CLVolleyM champions, Grupa Azoty Zaksa Kędzierzyn Koźle, through the last seasons kept faith in the strength of the teamwork, rather than big names, however thus they produced their stars. In the line-up of the defending champions we will see the MVP of the SuperFinals 2023 and the Best Middle Blocker of the VNL 2023 - David Smith, the Best Opposite of the VNL 2023 and the top scorer of the #CLVolleyM 2023 (with 234 points to his name) Łukasz Kaczmarek, one of the best liberos in the world - Erik Shoji and Zaksa's captain and one of the pillars of the Poland's national team - Aleksander Śliwka, who was named the MVP of the SuperFinals 2021. In Pool A, the fans will see also one of the greatest Volleyball stars - Matthew Anderson, who recently joined Ziraat Bank Ankara. The Turkish club have in their roster two domestic stars - charismatic setter and captain Arslan Eksi and middle blocker Bedirhan Bülbül.
The 2021 and 2022 SuperFinalist and the Italian reigning champions, Trentino Itas, once again can count on their star-studded squad, having in their line-up Italian superstars - who were named the Best Outside Hitters of the EuroVolley 2021 and this summer claimed EuroVolley silver - Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Lavia. The captain of Trentino, Serbia's legend Marko Podrascanin was named on several occasions the best middle blocker (including EuroVolley 2011 and 2021) and keeps impressing with his blocking skills, having now on his side Slovania's Jan Kozamernik. Also, returning after seven years to the Champions League in Pool B, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów can boast with a star-spangled team The most decorated Poland player and EuroVolley champion, Paweł Zatorski - who became the first libero to be named the Most Valuable Player at the VNL – and his teammates from Poland’s golden squad - Karol Kłos and Jakub Kochanowski, head the impressive line-up that includes also the Olympic champion Stephen Boyer, the EuroVolley 2023 bronze medalist Klemen Cebulj and a two-time world champion setter Fabian Drzyzga.
However, it will be probably Pool C, to strikes everybody's imagination with big names. The reigning Italian Cup champions, Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza comes to the Champions League with a true constellation of stars, headed by Brazilian stars - Ricardo Lucarelli and Cuban-born Yoandy Leal, who was named the Best Outside Spiker of the 2022 World Championships. Along with them Robertlandy Simon, the reigning world champion Yuri Romano and Olympic champion Antoine Brizard. Also, Halkbank Ankara with two extremely charismatic and world-wide known stars - Olympic champion Earvin Ngapeth and scoring machine Nimir Abdel Aziz will definitely grab a lot of attention of the fans, challenging their rivals.
The mix of Poland and France's stars can be observed in Jastrzębski Węgiel's squad in Pool D. The SuperFinalist of the last edition, can count on playmaking maestro Benjamin Toniutti and his teammate Jean Patry. Their squad is highlighted by two rising stars of Poland's Volleyball - Tomasz Fornal and Norbert Huber, who helped their national team to win EuroVolley and VNL titles this season.
Last but not least, Pool E. Cucine Lube Civitanova, led by captain and playmaking genius and Olympic bronze medalist Luciano De Cecco, have in their squad Italian veteran Ivan Zaytsev and the 2022 World Championship Best Libero - Fabio Belasco and Turkish power gun Adis Lagumdzija.