TRENTINO, Guaguas and Resovia looking to capitalise on last week’s success

The CEV Champions League Volley 2026 Men returns this week with the second round of matches scheduled for the Playoff round – with TRENTINO Itas, Guaguas LAS PALMAS, and Asseco Resovia RZESZÓW all hoping to capitalise on their successes from only a few days ago to secure their progression to the quarterfinals. However, you can expect PGE Projekt WARSZAWA, MONTPELLIER HSC VB, and Knack ROESELARE to put up a real fight as the quest for a spot in the Final Four scheduled for May 16-17 in Torino heats up. 

TRENTINO Itas (ITA) VS. PGE Projekt WARSZAWA (POL)

These two teams delivered the only five-setter last week – with TRENTINO eventually emerging victorious at the tiebreak as Théo Faure scored 22 points in the absence of star outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto due to injury. Faure is the third-best scorer in the competition this season so far on an impressive personal tally of 161 points. 

Despite the prolonged absence of Michieletto which has been lasting for the past 13 matches across domestic and European competitions, TRENTINO have welcomed back another star player, Daniele Lavia, who has returned to play after the horrific hand injury he suffered last summer during a camp with the Italian national team. 

With their 3-2 victory from last week in Warsaw, TRENTINO improved their win-loss record with Polish opposition in the #CLVolleyM to 15 wins in 23 matches. The four-time Champions League winners (2009, 2010, 2011, and 2024) and reigning Italian national champions remain a force to reckon with and will be trying to use the home-ground advantage to progress further in the competition. Their head coach Marcelo Méndez knows the opposition very well after spending many years in the Polish national league with JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel before moving to Italy last summer. Considering all European competitions, TRENTINO Itas has played a total of 191 official matches to date, recording 151 wins (76 in Trento, 75 away) and 40 losses in the process. 

PGE Projekt WARSZAWA, on the other hand, have had a season filled with ups and downs, changed their head coach back in late January with former assistant Kamil Nalepka replacing Tommi Tiilikainen at the helm of the team – but their performance last week showed some signs of real progress, so they will be hoping to reverse the result of their home match to advance to the quarterfinals of the #CLVolleyM for the second time in their history. Last season, they were close to reaching the Final Four but stumbled at the last hurdle losing a Golden Set to Halkbank ANKARA of Türkiye. 

Marcelo Méndez, head coach of TRENTINO Itas: “We are playing for everything in this return match. We know the result of the first leg was important, but not enough to guarantee the qualification we want to achieve at all costs. In Warsaw we delivered a good performance, and we will need to confirm it again on Wednesday evening in front of our home crowd. Despite a very demanding schedule, I am confident that my team can produce another strong performance and secure progression to the next round to continue our European journey.” 

MONTPELLIER HSC VB (FRA) vs. Guaguas LAS PALMAS (ESP)

Following their 3-1 home victory, Guaguas LAS PALMAS are ‘only’ two sets away from progressing to the quarterfinals of the #CLVolleyM for the second time in their history. They previously achieved this feat in 2024 when they had started their journey from the early rounds as well. Their Brazilian player Francisco Wallyson Bezerra Souza is the fourth best scorer in the competition so far with 160 points, including 18 he registered last week on home soil in their first-ever fixture against MONTPELLIER HSC VB. Guaguas features Osmany Juantorena, a living legend who has won the competition three times and played in eight Final Fours.

The French team, who received a wildcard to join the competition, have progressed to the Playoffs for the first time in their history. With a roster including Olympic champions Nicolas Le Goff and Quentin Jouffroy, they very much hope they can use the home-court factor to their advantage. Interestingly, they won all three of their home matches in the group stage – including a 3-2 victory over eventual pool winners Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA of Italy. The hosts will work hard to make sure that such an immaculate record on home soil is more than ‘just’ a good omen – and if they were to reverse the result of the match in Las Palmas – for which they need a 3-0 or 3-1 win – and claim the subsequent Golden Set, they would become the first French club to reach the #CLVolleyM quarterfinals since CHAUMONT VB 52 HM did so in 2019. French teams are currently on a bleak streak of nine consecutive losses in the knockout phase. A qualification for MONTPELLIER HSC VB would be a massive boost and a ‘positive seismic shift’ for French Volleyball as a whole.

Le Goff is the ultimate X-factor for this second leg. After being sidelined during recent major clashes to recover from a shoulder injury, the double Olympic champion is reclaiming his spot at the centre of the net. His return brings more than just an intimidating physical presence at the block; it provides the indispensable calmness and leadership needed to guide the French team toward overturning the first-leg deficit.

Ezequiel Palacios, captain of MONTPELLIER HSC VB: “We are thrilled to be competing in the Champions League Playoffs, especially as this marks a historic first for the club. We have a real opportunity to advance to the next round. It is going to be challenging, but it is far from impossible.” 

Knack ROESELARE (BEL) vs. Asseco Resovia RZESZÓW (POL)

Last week, Asseco Resovia delivered the most dominant performance across the Playoff fixtures as they required only 75 minutes to cruise to a 3-0 home victory over the multiple Belgian national champions. This setback coincided with the 17th straight loss for Knack ROESELARE in #CLVolleyM matches with Polish opposition. Resovia need to take another two sets from the re-match in Belgium if they are to reach the quarterfinals. 

Knack ROESELARE have a record of two wins and one loss from their home matches this season and their only setback came following a 2-3 loss at the hands of Pool B winners Bogdanka LUK LUBLIN, another team from Poland. However, with their mix of young and more experienced players – such as setter Stijn D’Hulst, a former Champions League winner with Cucine Lube – Knack have what it takes to try and reverse the result of the first fixture. They will especially rely on Basil Dermaux, the second-best scorer of the competition (190 points) and second-best server (22 aces, four less than Théo Faure of TRENTINO). If Resovia’s best result to date is their silver medal from the 2015 edition, Knack ROESELARE will be trying to emulate their achievement from the 2006/2007 season, when they made it to the Playoffs 6. 

The arena in Roeselare is completely sold out, creating an electric atmosphere that has often helped the Belgian champions perform at their best on the European stage. The last home match of Knack in the CEV Champions League was extremely intense and emotional for both players and fans. For this upcoming game, the team hopes to maintain the same level of passion and determination while delivering another memorable night of European Volleyball.

Matthijs Verhanneman, head coach of Knack ROESELARE: “Last week we were somewhat overwhelmed by the eagerness with which the opponent approached the service line. Our first task, therefore, is to match or even exceed the intensity with which the opponent starts. If we can start like that and find the flow we had in the group stage, and play a good match, I will be satisfied.”

With so much at stake, fans can look forward to another few nights filled with elite Volleyball!