CLV Men 2021 Preview

With the CEV Champions League Volley 2021 fast approaching and 20 teams competing from several different national leagues, it can be tough to keep up with all the moving parts of professional volleyball. That's why we are sharing previews for every pool of the Champions League 4th round with the key transfers and the most important questions clubs are facing heading into the competition. Here it is for Pool E in the men's competition.

Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)

In: Dražen Luburić, OPP (SRB)
Out: Fabian Drzyzga, S (POL)
Key Question: Is Konstantin Abaev be able to step into the role of a starting setter on a top Russian team? 

Out of all the teams in Champions League, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk is probably the one with the most continuity. And that makes sense, considering that they were the top team in Russia before the cancellation of the season. New opposite Drazen Luburic will join Novosibirsk veterans like middle blocker Ilyas Kurkaev and outside hitters Marko Ivovic and Aleksey Rodichev. Polish national team setter Fabian Drzyzga has left for Poland, meaning that coach Konstantinov believes that 2018 U20 European Championships MVP Konstantin Abaev is ready to lead the team. 

Vfb Friedrichshafen (GER)

In: Dejan Vincić, S (SLO), Nicolas Maréchal, OH (FRA), David Fiel, MB (CUB), Linus Weber, OPP (GER)
Out: Nikola Gjorgiev, OPP (MKD), Brendan Schmidt, MB (USA), Jakub Janouch, S (CZE)
Key Question: Who will grab the starting opposite spot of the two young Germans? 

Other than the amazingly consistent German libero Markus Steuerwald, it seems like Vfb Friedrichshafen seems to have a fresh coat of paint every year. In fact, except for Steuerwald, not one player on the team remains from the 2018-2019 team two years later. This doesn’t mean they should be underestimated however. Friedrichshafen is great at getting the most value out of players who haven’t fit in at other clubs. Watch out for athletic Cuban middle blocker David Fiel and massive Slovenian setter Dejan Vincić to make an impact immediately. 

Trentino Itas (ITA)

In: Nimir Abdel-Aziz, OPP (NED), Dick Kooy, OH (ITA), Marko Podrascanin, MB (SRB), Ricardo Lucarelli, OH (BRA)
Out: Aaron Russell, OH (USA), Uros Kovacevic, OH (SRB), Jenia Grebennikov, L (FRA), Klemen Cebulj, OH (SLO) 
Key Question: Will their new pieces have time to gel together?

This year, Trentino was able to qualify through the 2nd round as the 4th Italian team. It was a good year for them to do this too, as they made several high profile signings over the summer such as Dutch opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz. Which means that on paper, Trentino could be a contender for the Champions League title this season. It has been a bit of a tough start to the season in the Italian league though, which suggests that Trentino needs some more time to get on the same page. 

VK ČEZ Karlovarsko (CZE)

In: Fredric Gustavsson, OPP (SWE)
Out: Matyáš Džavoronok, S (CZE)
Key Question: Do they have the service to make a dent in Champions League teams’ reception?

After a tough 0-6 campaign in the 2018-2019 Champions League 4th round, ČEZ Karlovarsko topped Czech rivals Ceske Budejovice to gain their berth back into the pool phase. A couple of new faces have joined the team since then, including Slovakian outside hitter Marcel Lux & decorated Czech setter Lukas Tichacek. While their side-out will be strong, where Karlovarsko has failed to keep up in the past is with the strong service and block-defense. We will see if the new athletes can help in this regard.