#CLVolleyM returns for second round of group stage action
Preview
The first full week of January will treat Volleyball fans extremely well, with the return of the #CLVolleyM for the second round of action in the group stage. It is the first time this season that the men’s and women’s competition are contested concurrently. It is still an early stage of Round 4 – and yet the big names and group pre-favourites will be trying their best to secure a second win in as many matches following the victories they claimed back in December before the holiday season. Titleholders Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA, fresh from crowning themselves Club World Champions for a third time, will travel to the Canary Islands to play Spanish sensation Guaguas LAS PALMAS – and meet a familiar rival for many years in their domestic league, Osmany Juantorena.
Pool A
TOURS VB (FRA) vs. TRENTINO Itas (ITA)
TOURS VB and four-time #CLVolleyM winners TRENTINO Itas have locked horns as many as six times in the Champions League, with all such matches contested in the group stage of the competition. These were played in 2012/2013, 2015/2016, and in 2023/2024. The Italians have won five of these six Champions League encounters with TOURS VB, including four in straight sets. Most recently, they claimed two wins (3-1 away and 3-0 at home) in the group stage of the 2023/2024 edition. Alessandro Michieletto scored 42 points in those games (20 in France, 22 in Italy). TOURS VB’s only Champions League win against TRENTINO Itas was a 3-2 victory (15-10 in the fifth set) recorded more than 10 years ago – on 16 December 2015.
However, TOURS VB sensationally won the 2017 CEV Cup after defeating TRENTINO Diatec in a Golden Set in the Final (they first lost 0-3 away, won 3-1 home, and subsequently emerged victorious 15-13 in the Golden Set). TOURS VB have lost their last 12 Champions League matches against Italian teams (all in the group phase) since the aforementioned 3-2 win against TRENTINO Diatec in December of 2015. On the other hand, TRENTINO Itas have an impressive record of 10 wins and only two losses against French clubs in the Champions League.
This is the ninth journey for TRENTINO to France and the most recent such trip came last year in February to play CHAUMONT VB HM 52 for the first leg of the CEV Cup quarterfinals (which the Italians eventually ended in third place). The first ever match (November 11, 2008 in Beauvais – a three-set victory) coincides with the historic away debut of TRENTINO in the continental top-flight competition. This coming fixture will be the no. 136 for TRENTINO in the Champions League, with an impressive record of 105 wins this far.
Marcelo Mendez, head coach of TRENTINO Itas: “It’s already a very delicate match for our further progress in the competition, because we are playing away against a team with a great international tradition like TOURS VB, and they always give their best on home court. What’s more, the French fought tooth and nail in Ankara during the first round, which is why I expect a really difficult match that we will have to approach with great caution. In particular, we will have to be patient and clear-headed throughout the match because these are challenges that hide pitfalls from start to finish. However, after the recent victory over Cucine Lube in the national league, we are even more determined and convinced that we are on the right track; we want to continue our good form in Europe as well.”
ACH Volley LJUBLJANA (SLO) vs. Ziraat Bankkart ANKARA (TUR)
Ziraat Bankkart ANKARA won both their previous Champions League encounters with ACH Volley LJUBLJANA: 3-2 home and away in the 2022/2023 group phase. Theye were trailing 1-2 in sets in both of those matches. The Turkish side recorded 17 kill blocks in their 3-2 home win against the Slovenians that season, including as many as seven by Bedirhan Bülbül. The 17 blocks is the most for Ziraat Bankkart ANKARA in any Champions League match this far.
As Ziraat Bank ANKARA, the Turks defeated ACH Volley LJUBLJANA 3-0 and 3-2 in the quarterfinals of last season’s CEV Cup. Tonček Stern punished his current club ACH Volley LJUBLJANA by scoring 34 points (15 and 19 respectively) for Ziraat Bank ANKARA.
ACH Volley LJUBLJANA have a record of one win and three losses against Turkish opposition in the Champions League. Their sole win was a 3-2 victory as ACH Volley BLED versus ISTANBUL B.Sehir Belediyesi in the 2009/2010 group phase – the very same season when they reached the Final Four and finished the competition in fourth place, their best result to this day.
Both teams are currently leading the way in their domestic championships and are openly aiming to crown themselves Slovenian and Turkish champions later this year. Ziraat arrive in Ljubljana as the current leaders of the Turkish league, having suffered only one defeat in 13 rounds so far (a home loss to Halkbank one month ago). They also started their Champions League campaign strongly, defeating French champions TOURS VB 3-1 at home in the opening round. Ziraat Bankkart have dominated domestic competition in recent years, winning four Turkish championship titles in the last five seasons, reached the #CLVolleyM semis in 2024 and won last year’s CEV Cup.
Excitement is building in the camp of the Orange Dragons ahead of their first home match in this elite competition, with strong support expected from packed stands. In their most recent domestic league match, ACH Volley secured a convincing 3-0 away victory against the resilient OK i-Vent MARIBOR, with Tonček Štern leading the way with 21 points.
Igor Kolaković, head coach of ACH Volley: “We play our second match against one of the best teams in the world. It will be a very demanding challenge against an opponent with the highest ambitions in this competition. We also have our own plans and a strong desire to surprise Ziraat in front of our home crowd. The players are highly motivated and ready to fight for every point, which gives me great confidence and optimism.”
Luka Marovt, player of ACH Volley: “We are really looking forward to another Volleyball spectacle in Hala Tivoli against an exceptionally strong opponent with the highest possible goals in the Champions League. For us, this is additional motivation to deliver our best performance of the season in front of our home fans and do everything we can to keep the victory in Ljubljana. The support from the stands will be crucial, and we hope to see a full Tivoli Arena once again. The atmosphere within the team is excellent – and all our thoughts are on the match.”
Pool B
Knack ROESELARE (BEL) vs. Bogdanka LUK LUBLIN (POL)
Bogdanka LUK LUBLIN and Knack ROESELARE face each other for the first time in an official match. Knack ROESELARE have a negative 7-17 win-loss record against Polish teams in the Champions League and the reigning Belgian national champions have lost their last 14 Champions League matches against Polish sides, since two 3-1 wins against Zaksa KEDZIERZYN-KOZLE in the 2013/2014 group phase. Last season, Knack ROESELARE lost both group phase matches against eventual silver medal winners Aluron CMC Warta ZAWIERCIE in straight sets.
The Polish top team is competing in the CEV Champions League for the very first time in their club history, but boasts a significant number of Champions League players. Wilfredo Leon, their Cuban-born outside hitter, is no stranger at all for the CEV Champions League competition which he won four times in a row between 2015 and 2018 with Zenit KAZAN from Russia. Back in December, Bogdanka immediately impressed with a resounding 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-13) victory over Halkbank ANKARA in their first Champions League match ever. Knack ROESELARE, on the other hand, started off their CEV Champions League campaign with a spectacular five-set battle that lasted well beyond two hours. After the Belgians were leading 2-1, Türkiye’s Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL eventually celebrated a 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-13) victory after winning the last two sets by the narrowest of margins.
Last Saturday, Knack ROESELARE won their home match (3-0) against Thuismakers Brabo ANTWERP. As a result, crowned Autumn Champions in the Belgian national league with only one lost match, Knack ROESELARE remains the sovereign leader of their domestic competition.
Matthijs Verhanneman, head coach of Knack ROESELARE. “The difference between the Belgian league and the Champions League is huge. Teams like Bogdanka LUK LUBLIN play a top match almost every week in the Polish competition. For my players it will be a real challenge to adapt to another level of performance. However, Champions League matches are sometimes completely unpredictable. We want to raise our performance levels, and we hope it will be a great match and an excellent showcase for the sport.”
Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) vs. Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL (TUR)
This is the first time two Turkish clubs face each other in the men’s Champions League. Earlier this season, Halkbank ANKARA beat Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL in straight sets in a match scheduled for the Turkish national league. Matey Kaziyski (15) and Tsvetan Sokolov (13) were Halkbank ANKARA’s top scorers in that home win, while Stephen Maar (15) and Jean Patry (14) scored the most points for the visitors from Istanbul. Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL’s last win against Halkbank ANKARA was a 3-2 victory in the Turkish League in October 2024. In last season’s CEV Cup 8th Finals, Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL were eliminated by another Turkish team, the eventual winners of the competition Ziraat Bank ANKARA (1-3, 0-3).
This historic matchup represents not only a contest between two clubs, but also a strong reflection of the competitiveness that Turkish Volleyball has reached in recent years.
Speaking about the fact that two Turkish teams will face each other in the CEV Champions League for the first time, Halkbank team captain Ulas Kiyak said: “This is truly a very valuable moment. Seeing two teams from the same country competing at the highest level in Europe shows that the right steps are being taken in that country for Volleyball. I see this not so much as a rivalry, but as a positive picture for Turkish Volleyball. Both Halkbank and Galatasaray deserve to be at this level. This match makes Turkish Volleyball’s place in Europe even more visible. It also presents an inspiring picture for young players, youth academies and clubs. Having two Turkish teams capable of competing in Europe at this level will bring positive outcomes for everyone in the long term.”
Commenting on the differences between the league match played against Galatasaray earlier in the season and the upcoming Champions League encounter, Kiyak noted: “There are clear differences between league matches and European matches, both in terms of tempo and mentality. In the Champions League, every team competes at the highest possible level. I do not think previous matches will have a direct impact on this one. At this level, the result is determined by the tactical discipline you bring onto the court and how correctly you play the game.”
Touching on Halkbank ANKARA’s strengths in high-level matches, Kiyak added: “Our team balance and the distribution of roles on the court are among our biggest advantages. Every player is aware of their responsibilities. Being able to stay calm in difficult moments and remain loyal to our game plan is crucial at this level. Sometimes a single block, sometimes the right serve decision, or a small defensive touch can change the outcome of a match.”
Pool C
VK Lvi PRAHA (CZE) vs. BERLIN Recycling Volleys (GER)
BERLIN Recycling Volleys and VK Lvi PRAHA face each other for the first time in the Champions League. BERLIN Recycling Volleys have a 3-1 win-loss record against Czech teams in the Champions League. They won and lost one of their group matches against Jihostroj CESKE BUDEJOVICE in 2012/2013. More recently, the multiple German national champions won both their group phase games against Dukla LIBEREC in 2016/2017. This is VK Lvi PRAHA’s first encounter with a German club in the Champions League, with the Czechs making only their second appearance in Europe’s elite club competition after reaching the Playoff round in the 2023/2024 season.
Milan Moník, libero of VK Lvi PRAHA: “We know that BERLIN had a slightly slower start to the season than usual, but they beat LAS PALMAS and showed their strength. They are building a new team, but everything has already started to click for them. In the Champions League, you don’t get to choose – every match is tough. We have to play with risk, just like we did in Perugia, and we will see what that’s enough for. I would single out the Finnish setter Fedor Ivanov as the opponent’s biggest star; we faced each other in national team matches over the summer. He’s a high-quality player who runs their game, and we will have to pay close attention to him. I expect a heated match, and a full arena will give us much energy. We want to enjoy the game and we promise to leave everything on the court. We have to put pressure with our serve – otherwise we cannot expect to win. If our serving works, then we have a chance to win.”
Juan Manuel Barrial, head coach of VK Lvi PRAHA: “Of course, we are waiting for this game because we will play against one of the best European teams. We know that it will be difficult, but we are sure that we are ready to fight against them. We also know that this is our chance to understand what will be our position in the group. The pool is very hard because with us there are three strong teams and we need to be perfect to win on Thursday. We need to be aggressive with the service and especially try to perform well in reception, because they have a very, very strong service, and to play our side out we will need good defence. We will take it one good service and one good reception at a time to play point by point.”
Moritz Reichert, player and vice-captain of BERLIN Recycling Volleys: “This game is extremely important for us because we have made a good start, but that is worth little if we do not follow it up now. It is another key game for us to make it to the next round. I think our opponents from Prague are unpredictable because it is difficult to assess the standard of the Czech league. They are certainly not a bad team. That is clear from the set they won against PERUGIA. When you do not know the players very well, you focus even more on the video sessions and take a closer look. Our coaches obviously have more to analyse than they would against a Bundesliga team we are familiar with. But we are also staying true to our mindset: no matter what the other side throws at us, we have to do our job well. That is the key to success.”
Guaguas LAS PALMAS (ESP) vs. Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA (ITA)
The recently crowned Club World champions Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA and Guaguas LAS PALMAS face each other for the first time in the Champions League. The #CLVolleyM titleholders PERUGIA have never played against a team from Spain in the Champions League and Guaguas LAS PALMAS face an Italian side for the first time in the Champions League as well. As CDV Guaguas LAS PALMAS the Spaniards were eliminated by Italy’s Vero Volley MONZA (0-3, 1-3) in the quarterfinals of the 2022 CEV Cup. Current Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA players Marco Gaggini and Donovan Dzavoronok played for Vero Volley MONZA during that season.
Pool D
Sporting CP LISBOA (POR) vs. Aluron CMC Warta ZAWIERCIE (POL)
Aluron CMC Warta ZAWIERCIE and Sporting CP LISBOA face each other for the first time in an official match. This is also the first time in the Champions League that last season’s #CLVolleyM silver medal winners play against a Portuguese opponent. Sporting CP LISBOA faced Poland’s Bogdanka LUK LUBLIN in the semi-finals of last season’s Challenge Cup, losing both matches without taking any set.
Tiago Pereira, captain of Sporting: “I expect a very difficult match, just like the game in the first round of the Champions League – as, in fact, all the others will be. We are competing against some of the best teams in Europe. We will be facing nothing less than last season’s Polish runners-up, a team that plays in one of the most competitive leagues in Europe. Therefore, we expect a very tough game, but we will fight with the weapons we have. Playing at home, we will give everything we have to achieve the best possible result. This match will also be a historic milestone, as it marks the return of the Champions League to Sporting, to our home of indoor sports. The last time Sporting played in the Champions League, the João Rocha Pavilion did not yet exist. I believe it will be a very attractive match and I hope the fans turn out in large numbers and make themselves heard, so that we can achieve the best possible result.”
João Coelho, head coach of Sporting; “The truth is that this is a special match, as it marks our home debut and comes straight away against the European runners-up. It is a Champions League match, featuring the best teams in the world, and everything surrounding this competition is always highly appealing and eagerly anticipated. It will be an important week for us, with major matches. Naturally, we expect a great atmosphere, worthy of this competition, as we will be facing a top team. We want to raise our performance levels, with the ambition to fight for every point and every set at stake. It is, of course, a very difficult task. This Polish team reached the final last year, is currently among the top positions in one of the world’s leading leagues and, more recently, finished third at the Club World Championship. They need no introduction, featuring some of the best players in the world today. Therefore, we hope it will be a great match and an excellent showcase for the sport. We are certainly eager and highly motivated to face this great team.”
Asseco Resovia RZESZÓW (POL) vs. SVG LÜNEBURG (GER)
Asseco Resovia RZESZÓW and SVG LÜNEBURG face each other for the first time in the Champions League. However, Asseco Resovia defeated their German rivals twice in straight sets in the Final of the 2024 CEV Cup. The Polish team registered 25 kill blocks in these two matches including 16 in their 3-0 home win. While circumstances and line-ups have evolved since then, that final remains a reference point in the shared European history of the two clubs. The match represents a direct clash between two teams aiming to secure valuable points in the group stage, with qualification for the next round firmly in sight. In a competition where finishing in the top two positions of the group is decisive, this encounter carries significant value, especially as it marks Asseco Resovia’s first home appearance of the current Champions League campaign.
Asseco Resovia have a positive 4-2 win-loss record against German teams in the Champions League. Their last encounters with German opposition were in the group phase in 2016/2017, when they met BERLIN Recycling Volleys, recording a 3-2 home win and a 2-3 away loss. On the other hand, SVG LÜNEBURG have lost all of their six Champions League matches against Polish teams this far.
However, in friendly matches contested prior to the current season, SVG reached the tiebreak against Cuprum Stilon GORZÓW (2:3) and a 2:2 draw in an unofficial test match against Indykpol AZS OLSZTYN.
Two SVG players will be returning to Poland in Tuesday’s match: Sho Takahashi played for KS Norwid CZESTOCHOWA from 2022 to 2024. The libero helped the club gain promotion to the PlusLiga and played there for another season until he was injured. Setter Santeri Välimaa moved directly from the PlusLiga to SVG in 2025. He had played for the Ukrainian club Barkom-Kazhany LVIV in 2024/2025.
“It is obvious that we are facing some very big challenges. The PlusLiga is simply a different calibre. The top six teams are all very close together, and Resovia is among them. There are new players in the team, but it remains a very good team. There will be a completely different kind of pressure on us: high serve pressure, and a completely different physicality at the net. But we can only grow from that,” says the head coach of SVG LÜNEBURG, Stefan Hübner.
“We know that it is not going to be easy and they are going to be a very good team, and play at a very high level. So it is going to take our best if we want to have a shot at them. But I do not think we have to go outside of our bubble and try to be an extra great team. We have the pieces to put up a fight and that is what we have got to do,” comments Christopher Byam, Canadian opposite hitter of SVG LÜNEBURG.
Asseco Resovia head coach Massimo Botti emphasises both the importance of the match and the quality of the German side when speaking ahead of the game: “This will be our first home match of the CEV Champions League, and it is an important one because finishing among the top two teams in this competition is fundamental for us. SVG LÜNEBURG is a young, well-coached team capable of causing serious problems, and since they won their opening match against Lisbon, this fixture represents a direct battle for qualification to the next round.”
Captain Marcin Janusz also underlined the relevance of the encounter, highlighting the competitive context of the pool and the special atmosphere expected at Podpromie: “This is a very important game, we all know the Champions League system and we know how important it is to take first place in the group. Now we continue to fight despite this rather weak beginning with ZAWIERCIE. It’s the first Champions League match of the season at home, so also something very special. For many of us it will be a new opponent and for this we must prepare very well. I believe that if we just play our Volleyball at a good level, we will control this game and we will win it.”
With the stands of Hala Podpromie ready to once again frame a night of top-level European Volleyball, the clash against SVG LÜNEBURG stands as a key moment in Asseco Resovia’s Champions League journey, where focus and determination will be essential in the battle for progression to the knockout phase.
Pool E
Volley Haasrode LEUVEN (BEL) vs. Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA (ITA)
Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA and #CLVolleyM rookies Volley Haasrode LEUVEN meet for the first time in the Champions League and in any other international competition. Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA have a 14-7 win-loss record against Belgian clubs in the Champions League. The two-time (2002, 2019) #CLVolleyM winners have won 11 of their last 12 matches against Belgian teams.
Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA head into this away match in Belgium aiming to consolidate their lead at the top of the pool, secured after a 3-0 victory over MONTPELLIER HSC VB in the opening match and currently shared with Poland’s PGE Projekt WARSZAWA.
It will certainly be a very special match for Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA middle blocker Wout D’Heer, a Belgian player born in 2001, who, before moving to Italy in 2021, faced Volley Haasrode LEUVEN many times as an opponent in the Belgian league while playing for Caruur Volley GENT and Lindemans AALST.
For Cucine Lube, in this first European trip it is imperative to break the taboo surrounding matches played away from home. The team coached by Giampaolo Medei, eliminated on December 30 in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals and beaten 1-3 in Trento last Saturday in their first league match of the year 2026, currently sits in sixth place in the Italian SuperLega standings and has managed only one win in eight national league games played away from home this season so far.
Mattia Boninfante, player of Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA: “This match in Belgium is shaping up to be a very difficult one, like any other in the CEV Champions League. It will be important to take the court with the right determination, seeking the best possible approach in order to make it with maximum points to the toughest match, the 3rd Leg scheduled in Warsaw. We are confident that we have what it takes to play an excellent season in the most important continental competition. It is a long journey, but the group stage is crucial for the pairings in the subsequent rounds, and every match demands total commitment and focus. Now our task is to prove, one match at a time, that we can challenge Europe’s best teams for the trophy!”
MONTPELLIER HSC VB (FRA) vs. PGE Projekt WARSZAWA (POL)
Wildcard holders MONTPELLIER HSC VB and PGE Projekt WARSZAWA meet for the first time in the Champions League as well. The French team lost both group phase matches against Poland’s JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (1-3, 0-3) in their previous Champions League campaign. On the other hand, PGE Projekt WARSZAWA won (3-0) and lost (0-3) group phase matches against France’s TOURS VB in 2019/2020. Two-time Olympic champion Kévin Tillie (now at PGE Projekt WARSZAWA) was a player of TOURS VB when they lost the Playoff Final of the French League in 2021/2022 against MONTPELLIER UC, a predecessor of MONTPELLIER HSC VB. Taking a look at other historical results, when PGE Projekt WARSZAWA won the 2024 Challenge Cup, they defeated France’s SAINT-NAZAIRE VB Atlantique 3-0, 3-1 in the 8th Finals.