Champions League: Paola Egonu and teammates take on Fenerbahce
Champions League: Paola Egonu and teammates take on Fenerbahce
The CEV Champions League 2024 is back for the Allianz Vero Volley Milan, ready for the appointment with history. In fact, on Tuesday, March 12, at 8 p.m. (live DAZN), on the mondoflex of the Allianz Cloud the meneghine will face off against Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul for the semifinal first leg match of the top continental club competition. A unique moment for the Consortium’s first women’s team, but also for all fans for this first time among the best four teams in Europe.
After nimbly making it through the quarterfinals, thanks to a 3-1 double win both home and away against Lodz, the pinks aspire to earn a pass to the event's final act. It would be the 10th time for an Italian lineup. To do so, Milan è aware that it has to express its best volleyball, pushing hard on serve and a solid wall-defense correlation, useful to facilitate the break phase and take home a valuable result ahead of the return match, set for Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m. (5 p.m. Italian time), at the Burhan Felek Voleybol Salonu in Istanbul.
Milan canò boast a record of 10 wins and 3 losses in its last 13 Champions matches, interestingly all at the hands of VakifBank Istanbul. Paola Egonu (142 points scored) è currently the top scorer for Allianz Vero Volley Milano and the CEV Champions League. Also noteworthy is the great defensive contribution of USA center Dana Rettke; as many as 26 winning walls realized this season, only one less than Jovana Kocic (CS Volei Alba BLA) first in the ranking of "best blockers".
Whoever passes the round will face the winner of the other Italo-Turkish confrontation between Imoco Conegliano and Eczacibasi Dynavit.
"An important match for sure, in an event with clubs of the highest level and all equipped to do well. That is why for us è it is a joy to have come this far, but we know that tomorrow we have to take the field and play with the goal of winning – underlined coach Marco Gaspari to the club official channels -. Our team è has been set up to compete at the highest level and we must not be satisfied with this result, even if it is top-notch. Our opponents need no introduction, they have an important roster and like us will want to get to the Final. It will be crucial to get a good result in this first match, in order to better face the return to Burhan Felek Voleybol Salonu, which will be a bedlam. To do so, we have to stand strong in reception and make the most of their weak points".
" Tomorrow we will expect a high-level match, against an opponent that needs no introduction – the words of the captain, Alessia Orro -. We have been waiting for this match for a long time and tomorrow we will have to take the court with the best version of us. We will be accompanied by our public, which will be fundamental in this battle in a match that promises to be beautiful".
