2025

Olympiacos' long journey sees Greek side aiming for quarter-finals berth against Saint-Nazaire

Preview

Article Wed, Feb 12 2025
Author: Adrian Costeiu

Probably the most unexpected clash in this season’s CEV Champions League Men play-offs is the one between Saint-Nazaire VB Atlantique and Olympiacos Piraeus, with the Greek side being the surprise package of the competition, while the French team is the only third-placed side which made it to the play-offs.

For the Greek champions, this is the maiden play-offs appearance since the 2009/10 season, with a 15-year draught being ended as they finished second in their pool, with four wins and two losses. 

As they had 13 points, courtesy of a 2:3 loss against Mint Vero Volley Monza, Olympiacos finished as the best second-placed side, with one point over Berlin Recycling Volleys, Allianz Milano and Halkbank Ankara, enabling the Greek side to find an easier opponent on their way to the quarter-finals.

But Saint-Nazaire VB Atlantique are no pushovers. In their maiden appearance in the European top competition, they managed to sneak into the play-offs, having finished third in their pool, the only side to have won three matches and finishing third in the 4th round.

After a 3:2 surprising win on Halkbank Ankara’s court, the French side delivered two wins against Jihostroj České Budějovice, 3:0 and 3:1, but lost both matches against Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia in straight sets, as well as the home match against Ankara, 2:3.

However, the cards seem to be stacked against the French side, with no team from France making the quarter-finals in the last six seasons, as well as no team from France winning a play-off tie since the 2007/08 season, when Cannes and Paris faced off and gave the competition a French side in the quarter-finals.

The French side also lost their best scorer this season, Jordan Ewert, who had 96 points and was seventh in the standings, as the American player signed with Verona Volley for the rest of the season, a heavy blow for Saint-Nazaire.
On the other hand, Olympiacos have fought through thick and thin to be in this phase of the competition. In the first qualification leg, they disposed of Strumica Nikob, from North Macedonia, with two wins in straight sets.

Then, they faced Guaguas Las Palmas, winning the first match, 3:0, but dropping the second one, 2:3, enough for making it into the third qualification round. There, they secured two wins in straight sets against Romanian champions Corona Brașov, entering the 4th round.

And Olympiacos duly performed admirably, with four wins in six matches, eliminating Turkish side Fenerbahce Medicana Istanbul, with a 3:2 win in the decisive match, as well as securing a 3:1 win over pool winners Mint Vero Volley Monza.

Their stars are John Perrin and Aleksandar Atanasijević, who have scored 90 and 80 points respectively so far in the competition, while Alen Pajenk and Mitar Tzourits are also ranked in the top-10 of the number of blocks made this season.

"It's the CEV Champions League playoffs , so it will be a complicated match, against a French team, which is in good shape and has done well so far in the competition. It won't be easy to play here, it will be a difficult match, because we have some minor problems, but we will try for the best result here, in France," said Olympiacos’ coach, Andrea Gardini.


#CLVolleyM