In Focus: JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel
Not many are the teams who can enter the CEV Champions League Men 2023 knowing that just some days ago they had disappointed the reigning champions in the tournament. But this will be the exact case of JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel who on October 26 won the Polish Supercup precisely against Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN-KOŹLE.
In a fierce battle, the players around head coach Marcelo Mendez (who takes over the position after Andrea Gardini) emerged victorious in a tiebreaker, and start the season on a very positive note. Wegiel’s middle blocker - Yuriy Gladyr, was named MVP of the match.
A great motivation for the whole team of Jastrzebski ahead of a busy season, not only in the Polish Plusliga, but also on the European Volleyball stage.
Guided by coach Mendez, who in 2021 led the Argentinian National Team - Men, to a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Jastrzebski can definitely dream big, setting high goals.
The Plusliga
Jastrzebski Wegiel are always one of the favourites in the Polish Plusliga. They have 23 seasons in Poland’s men’s elite and have two titles so far (the second one in 2021). Wegiel are four times vice champions. They have finished third seven times in their history. Always considered one of the favourties, Jastrzeski have in their records in the Plusliga 437 victories and 242 loses. The longest winning steak they have had consists of 15 victories, while their worst performance was six losses in a row.
The giants of Jastrzębie-Zdrój finished second in the 2021/2022 Polish Plusliga, right behind the #CLVolleyM champions of Kędzierzyn-Koźle.
However, they are the current leaders in the 2022/2023 season, with five wins out five matches (before the matches of the sixth leg on October 28), followed by Asseco Resovia Rzeszów. Jastrzebski have played 17 sets so far this season, and have scored 310 points.
Opposite, Stepher Boyer has been named MVP in three of the matches his team played in the Plusliga, and might turn out to be his team’s trump card in Europe’s top competition as well.
Champions League
Jastrzebski Wegiel’s best achievement in #CLVolleyM is dated back in 2014, when they won bronze medals after participating in a Final Four tournament with Belogorie Belgorod (1st), Halkbank Ankara (2nd) and Zenit Kazan (4th).
Arriving to the #CLVolleyM semis in 2022 (where they lost precisely to the reigning champions of Grupa Azoty after disappointing Cucine Lube Civitanova in the quarters), the expectations for Jastrzebski’s performance in the 2023 edition of the competition are high.
However, to achieve the ultimate goal, they will have to first lock horns with Vfb Friedrchishafen, Vojvodina NS Seme NOVI SAD and MONTPELLIER HSC VB in Round 4. Wegiel’s journey this year starts November 8, when they host their opponents from Serbia for a first match in the group phase.
Jastrzebski Wegiel and Vfb Friedrichshafen know each other well from the previous #CLVolleyM season, when they crossed paths in Pool A. The Polish team recorded two wins against this opponent (six victories in total, finishing first in the group).
Besides on counting on the Supercup MVP - Yuriy Gladyr, and on Stepher Boyer, who are shining this season, Wegiel will rely again on two of the Top 10 Best Scorers of 2022 #CLVolleyM: Tomasz Fornal who played in 10 matches (32 sets), scored 126 points (3.94 average per set) and Jan Hadrava - 10 matches (31 sets), 121 points (3,9 average per set).
Olympic champions, setter Benjamin Toniutti and outside spiker Trévor Clevenot are also part of the roster of Wegiel once again, which only rises the hopes for a better performance.
Will JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel live up to the expectations?
The 2022 #CLVolleyM will give us the answer.
Watch #CLVolleyM live on EuroVolley.TV.