Qualifying Olympiacos for the final of the Challenge Cup puts it in the final stages of winning the trophy for the eighth time in its history. Twice he was the final winner in a European final, six times a loser, most recently at the event in which he is also participating this year.

The “Red-Whites” first celebrated the 1995/1996 SEF Cup Winners’ Cup against Wuppertal and won another trophy in 2004/2005 in the same competition (but with a different name) against Neseland.

From the first final in their history, 1991-1992 against Ravenna for the Champions Cup, to the 2017-2018 Challenge Cup doubles final against the Italians again, Sportish looks back on the seven times that Olympiacos have reached the finals for the cup .

Women’s Champions Cup 1991-1992: Olympiacos – Messenger Ravenna 0-3

The amazing team of Yannis Laios with Moustakidis, Triantafyllidis, Amarianakis, Dragovics, Fakas, Kazazis and others destroyed CSKA Moscow with a 3-0 set in the semifinals of the 1992 Final-4 held at SEF and went to the final. where the mighty messenger faced Ravenna. Pavi, Voulos, Fomin, Gardini, Kirali and Timmons put together a “killer” team while the Piraeus lost to Vilde in warm-up. Daniele Ricci’s Italians were superior and won the Cup 3-0 in a crowded 16,500 spectators at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Cup Winners’ Cup 1995-1996: Olympiakos – Bayer Wuppertal 3-2

In the 1995/96 season, the Final-4 of the Cup Winners’ Cup took place at SEF and Olympiacos met German Bayer Wuppertal in the final on his birthday (3.10.96). With his Cubans on a big night (Hernandez and Sanchez), Dragovic, Giourdas, Tsakiropoulos, Moustakidis and the others giving their all and the crowd…cheering for the players and filling every corner of the stadium, the Piraeus won 3-2 sets and won a European Cup for the first time in its history. It was Olympiakos’ maiden in every division, but certainly not his last.

Cup Winners’ Cup 1996-1997: Olympiacos – Alpitour Trako Cuneo 0-3

Olympiacos also played in the Cup Winners’ Cup final the following season, but met Alpitur Trako Cuneo. In the semifinals of the Final Four (held in Thessaloniki) he defeated Berlin 3-1. However, the Italians in the final had the experience and class to overcome resistance from the Greek team, which nonetheless had excellent units (Greeks and foreigners) and had Italy’s Gian Paolo Montali on the bench.

Cup Winners’ Cup 1997-1998: Alpitur Trako Cuneo 3-0 Olympiakos

A year later, the two teams from the Thessaloniki final met again in the final of the same event, but at the opponent’s home stadium. The Final Four took place in Cuneo, where Olympiacos defeated Portugal’s Castelo de Maia 3-0 and sought revenge against the Italian team. However, the hosts were outstanding again and won another set 3-0.

Champions League 2001-2002: Olympiacos – Lube Banca Macerata 1-3

In the 2001/02 season, Daniele Ricci’s Olympiacos made an amazing run in the Champions League, reaching the Final Four in Opole (Poland). There he faced Poland’s Mostostal in the semifinals, whom he won 3–1 sets, but Marios Giurdas suffered a sprain and didn’t play in the final against Lube Banca Macerata, who had eliminated Heracles in the other semifinal. Finally, after a tough match that was decided in detail (a score of 1-1, the third deciding set went to Macerata 29-27), the Italian team managed to win 3-1 sets. It was Olympiakos’ second participation in the final of the premier inter-club competition.

Best Teams Cup 2004-2005: Olympiacos – Ortek Neseland 3-0

In the 2004–05 season, Argentina manager Claudio Cueho was hired and the team acquired veteran winger and Argentina national team captain Markos Milinkovic. Olympiacos prevailed in the sold-out SEF of Dutchman Ortek Neseland, Peter Blanche, by 3-0 sets (25:23, 25:18, 25:23) in the final of the Final Four of the Cup Winners’ Cup (renamed the Top Teams Cup) and won his second European title amidst the apotheosis of thousands of his friends who were at Faleri Stadium.

Challenge Cup 2017-2018: Bunge Ravena 3-1 Olympiakos, Olympiakos 1-3 Bunge Ravena

Olympiacos’ first opponent in a European final had joined forces with the city’s other team, Robur Angelo Costa, for sponsorship reasons and formed Porto Robur Costa or Bunge Ravena. Fernando Munioth’s Piraeus reached the final by starting from qualifying. In the semifinals they easily defeated Ugra Surgut without dropping a set, but things went differently in the final. They were initially defeated by 1-3 sets in the packed SEF and in Italy they failed to pull off the upset. They were beaten by the same goal line and failed to reach their third European Cup.