Decospan VT MENEN

· After four losses in as many Champions League games, Decospan Menen is eager to give the home crowd a first point as a New Year’s gift. Even if Trentino should not align its usual starting seven, the first game that last year’s runner-up still has many very talented players, which will make tonight’s match very interesting for both players and fans.

· Almost a hundred fans, friends and relatives of Wout D’heer booked a ticket to see the Belgian middle blocker playing in his home country.

· Decospan VT MENEN started 2023 on a good note by winning 1-3 against AXIS GUIBERTIN. The German teams is now fifth in the Belgian League.

· After losing its first four games in national competition, Decospan VT MENEN improved its level of play in the last two months, with a 14 points on 18 record in the last six games.

· For the second time in their history, Decospan VT MENEN qualified for the Belgian Cup final on 26 February. The other finalist is Knack ROESELARE.

Trentino ITAS

· Trentino ITAS comes to Belgium for the eighth time (where it has always won in the past) to confirm its leadership in Pool D after the fifth day. In the previous four rounds the Vice-European and World Champion line-up has always won, leaving the opponents just two sets (one in Karlovarsko and one in Kedzierzyn-Kozle). The results obtained so far in the 2023 CEV Champions League have guaranteed qualification for the Playoffs, but Angelo Lorenzetti's team wants to keep the first place in the group to directly access the quarter-finals.
 
· The match will be played in Roeselare, where Trentino Volley has already played twice in the past: 17 February 2010 (3-1 first leg of the Champions Playoffs 12) and 11 March 2015 (3-2) in the return leg of the Challenge Round of the CEV Cup

· The first match, played on 10 November in Trento, was clearly won by Trentino Itas 3-0 with scores of 25-16, 25-17, 25-12 and the Nelli-Lavia pair playing a leading role: 40 points between them.
 
· Trentino Volley’s tradition against Belgian teams is very positive: 15 victories out of 15 matches played, taking into account also the eight wins over Maaseik, four over Roeselare and two over Asse-Lennik.
 
· Trentino ITAS will present themselves in Belgium without their captain Matey Kaziyski, who remained in Trento to rest and carry out differentiated work in view of the next important SuperLega and Champions League matches.