Men’s Olympic volleyball: Red and white premiere in the Champions League against the mighty ZAKSA

With the ultimate test, Olympiacos returns to the Champions League group after 9 years. The European Cup winners will be tested on Wednesday (November 22nd, 7:00 p.m., COSMOTE SPORT 6HD) at the home stadium of three-time European champions Kienzenrjin Kozle ZAKSA.

Against the Champions League defending champions for the last three years, the Red and Whites know that they have a very difficult premiere ahead of them, but are aiming for the best possible result in “Hala Azoty”.

In addition to three consecutive Champions League titles, Olympiakos’ rivals also have nine Polish championships, ten cup wins and three Super Cups to their name.

“We are excited, we are excited to start the competition. We play against Zaksa, the last champions and holders of the Champions League title. We know it will be very tough for all of us, it will be a very strong opponent. game, but we wait, let’s enjoy it.

It is also important for the reputation of the club, players and staff. Very important games, I can’t wait to get started. Zaksa is a very smart team, they don’t make mistakes, they don’t give easy points to their opponents.

Their advantage lies in the placements they make, especially in service, they make some sharp, some long, some mark the lines, sometimes they take risks, sometimes they don’t. We have to find solutions to the pressure that is put on us in this area, that is the key.”said Olympiacos coach Daniel Castellani.

This is Zaksa

Kenjierzin Kozle has won the last three titles in as many Champions League competitions, equaling the record held by Trentino, Modena and Ravenna. Their goal is to equal Zenit Kazan and CSKA Moscow’s record of four consecutive titles.

In the final of the 2020-21 season they defeated the Italian team Trentino 3-0 and in the final of the 2021-22 season they defeated Trentino again 3-1. In the final of the 2022/23 season, a Polish civil war, she defeated Jastrebski 3-2 sets.

Kenjierzyn Kozle is based in the Polish city of the same name west of Katowice. It is coached by Finn Tomas Samuelvo and has five foreigners in the squad.

They are the Dutch center Tvan Wildenburg, the Norwegian center Andreas Takvam, the American center David Smith, the Russian center Dmitri Pacinski, the American libero Eric Thomas Soi and the 18-year-old Romanian winger Christian Daniel Chitigoi, son of Athlema Orestiada- Coach Christian Chitigoi.

For the Poles, the diagonal player Lukas Kaczmarcek, the passer Marcin Januz and the wingers Bartosz Bedroz, Aleksandar Slivka and Jakub Szymanski stand out.

In the Polish league they beat Czarny Radom away 3-0 (28-26, 25-21, 25-20), got 14 points, stayed in 4th place and came close to Gdańsk in 3rd place. In the table after 7 games, Jastrzebski Vegyel leads with 21 points, followed by Projekt Warsaw with 20, Gdansk with 16, Kendzierzyn Kozle 14, Rzeszow Rzeszów 13. There are 16 teams taking part.

He lost against Olympiacos

He faced Olympiakos in the historic final four of the 2001/02 Champions League in Opole. Olympiacos defeated Mostostal Kenjierzin 3-1 in one set in the semifinals.

In the short final, Heraklis also defeated both Greek teams 3-2 sets (in the only presence of two Greek teams in history in the Final-4, they managed 2-3 in the competition). Olympiacos, without Mario Giurda, who was injured in the game against Kienjiergin, lost to Macerata 3-1 in the final.

The group program

1st match day

• November 22nd, 7:00 p.m.: Kienzenrzyn Kozle (Poland) – Olympiacos SFP
• November 23rd, 8:30 p.m.: Nak Roselare (Belgium) – Zirat Bank (Turkey)

2nd match day

• November 29th, 7:00 p.m.: Olympiacos SFP – Nak Roselare (Belgium)
• November 29th, 9:00 p.m.: Zirat Bank (Turkey) – Kienzenrgin Kozle (Poland)

3rd matchday

• December 12th, 7:00 p.m.: Olympiacos SFP – Zirat Bank (Türkiye)
• December 13th, 9:30 p.m.: Nak Roselare (Belgium) – Kienzenrzyn Kozle (Poland)

4th matchday

• December 19th, 7:00 p.m.: Kizenrgin Kozle (Poland) – Zirat Bank (Turkey)
• December 20th, 9:30 p.m.: Nak Roselare (Belgium) – Olympiacos SFP

5th matchday

• January 10th, 5:00 p.m.: Zirat Bank (Turkey) – Nak Roselare (Belgium)
• November 1st, 7:30 p.m.: Olympiacos SFP – Kienzenrzyn Kozle (Poland)

6th matchday

• January 17th, 9:00 p.m.: Zirat Bank (Türkiye) – Olympiacos SFP
• January 17th, 9:30 p.m.: Kienzenrzyn Kozle (Poland) – Nak Roselare (Belgium)

SOURCE: EOPE