No room for mistake in second leg of play-offs in the #CLVolleyM

More drama awaits in the CEV Champions League Men, with the three away legs of the play-offs ready to deliver more twists and turns, after the first legs produced some exciting results two weeks ago.

Undoubtedly, the biggest shock was SVG Lüneburg’s 3:2 win against Berlin Recycling Volleys, as the hosts secured only their second win in the last 24 matches against their German rivals, after one of their best matches of the season.

Lüneburg led after the first and the third sets, which they won, 25:19 and 25:23, but Berlin bounced back twice, 25:23 and 26:24, in a fiery encounter, which saw the lead change hands plenty of times.

Eventually, in the fifth set, Lüneburg were stronger, after leading throughout the majority of the last part of the match, and took it 27:25, securing the 3:2 win, thanks to 23 points from Xander Kertzynski, 21 points from Simon Torwie and 20 points from Oskar Espeland.

Berlin’s ace, Jack Hanes, had 20 points, but the German champions will now need a 3:0 or a 3:1 win to progress to the next phase in the match scheduled for Wednesday, 26 February, at 19:30 CET, while a 3:2 Berlin win would see the two sides contend for a golden set to progress to the quarter-finals, where they winner is slated to face Polish side Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie.

While Berlin have lost their two doubleheaders against German opposition, Lüneburg have never made it out of the 4th round so far, therefore this would be their first appearance in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, Berlin Recycling Volleys made the quarter-finals in the last four consecutive seasons.

“What was missing to win was a better attacking game. We simply didn't capitalize enough. The starting position hasn't changed much. We are going back to Berlin and have to win the game, just like before. The two sets could still be important," said Berlin’s Ruben Schott after the loss in the first match.

Olympiacos Piraeus progressed from the 4th round for the first time since the 2009/10 season and can make it into the quarter-finals for the third time in history, after the 2000/01 and 2001/02 seasons, as the Greek side is riding an immense wave of confidence.

The Greek side had to pass three rounds of qualification, beating North Macedonian side Strumica Nikob, Spanish side Guaguas Las Palmas and Romanian champions Corona Brașov to get into the 4th round, but their performance this season has been off the charts.

They won five out of the seven matches they played and now hold a huge advantage over their opponents, Saint-Nazaire VB Atlantique, after their 3:1 win in the first leg of the play-offs, in France.

Saint-Nazaire VB Atlantique are the only side to finish third in their pool in the 4th round and progress to the play-offs, and won the first set against the Greek team, 25:20, only for Olympiacos to be stronger in the next three and snatch them, 25:20; 25:21 and 25:23.

Saint-Nazaire can be the first French side to progress to the quarter-finals since Chaumont in the 2017/18 season, but their path has narrowed and they need a 3:0 or a 3:1 win in a fiery atmosphere in Greece, while also a win in the eventual golden set in that scenario is a must.

“This is the most important match of the season in the CEV Champions League . Our goal is to qualify for the quarterfinals and at the same time, restart our path in the playoffs , so that we are ready for the most crucial games that lie ahead,” said Olympiacos’ Aleksandar Atanasijevic.

The second leg of the play-offs in the European premium competition will throw off on Tuesday, at 20:45 CET, when Allianz Milano are hosting Halkbank Ankara, with the Turkish side holding a 3:1 lead after the first leg.

For Ankara, it would be the third consecutive season appearing in the quarter-finals of the CEV Champions League Men, however tired legs could play a factor here, as the Turkish side played eight matches already in the first 22 days in February.

Interesting enough, Halkbank are very good under pressure, winning 10 of the last 13 matches in the CEV Champions League Men which needed a fifth set, a scenario which can also happen here and would bring the qualification in the quarter-finals for the Turkish side, after their first win, 3:1.

For Milano, this is their maiden appearance in the European premium competition, winning four of the seven matches they played, including two home wins, 3:2 against Knack Roeselare and 3:0 against Hypo Tirol Innsbruck.