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CEV Champions League Volley 2024 | Men
Over the last weeks, since the conclusion of the semifinals, fans all over the world were able to vote in the All-Star team polls for the CEV Champions League Men and tens of thousands of them have taken the opportunity to support their favourite players.
Four players were nominated for each position – one setter, one opposite, one libero and two outside hitters and two middle blockers – with the fans deciding the winner in each category with their votes.
The fans have spoken and six teams, including the two qualified for the Super Finals, Jastrzębski Węgiel and Trentino Itas, are represented in the All-Star team, with players from three continents making the best team of the season in the European premium competition, according to the fans.
Thousands of votes were cast in after the announcement was made, as the fans flocked to choose their favourites in this season’s All-Star Team, with two middle blockers, Jastrzębski Węgiel’s Norbert Huber and Guaguas Las Palmas’ Graham Vigrass securing the largest number of votes, 4716 and 4474, or 48.1% and 41.4% of the votes cast.
Two outside hitters – Trentino’s Alessandro Michieletto and Ziraat Bank Ankara’s Matt Anderson, also made the All-Star Team, with their excellent performances throughout this season rewarded by the fans. Michieletto (145 points) and Anderson (135 points) made the top-15 in scoring this season in the European premium competition.
Jastrzębski Węgiel were the only side to have two players in the All-Star Team, as Huber was joined by libero Jakub Popiwczak, who had 4085 votes under his name, or 45.7% for this position on the court.
Despite Halkbank Ankara not making the semi-finals, like in the previous season, opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz has also been selected in the All-Star Team, dominating the vote for his position, where he received 42.5% of the votes.
Abdel-Aziz has been Ankara’s best player this season, boasting the largest average of points scored per set, 5.08, having 198 points in 39 sets played, being unstoppable at times.
With a 54.33% percentage, setter Luciano de Cecco has been selected by 39.5% of the fans in the All-Star Team, being the only player from semi-finalists Lube Cucine Civitanova selected by the fan vote.
In terms of the best coach of the season, the fans have spoken and 51.5% of them, or 4695, have selected Marcelo Mendez, who helped Polish side Jastrzębski Węgiel qualify for back-to-back Super Finals, as the Polish team aims to secure their maiden European trophy in their history when they face Trentino Itas in the Super Finals on 5 May.
CEV Champions League Volley 2024 Men All-Star Team
Best setter: Luciano de Cecco (ARG – Lube Cucine Civitanova) – 39.5% (2298)
Best opposite: Nimir Abdel-Aziz (NED – Halkbank Ankara) – 42.4% (2853)
Best outside hitter: Alessandro Michieletto (ITA – Trentino Itas) – 35.6% (2336)
Best outside hitter: Matthew Anderson (USA – Ziraat Bank Ankara) - 51% (3213)
Best libero: Jakub Popiwczak (POL - Jastrzębski Węgiel) – 45.7% (4085)
Best middle blocker: Graham Vigrass (CAN – Guaguas Las Palmas) – 41.4% (4474)
Best middle blocker: Norbert Huber (POL - Jastrzębski Węgiel) – 48.1% (4716)
Best coach: Marcelo Mendez (ARG - Jastrzębski Węgiel) – 51.3% (4695)