Numia Vero Volley Milano aim to avoid complacency against Schwerin

With a 3:0 win in the first leg of the play-offs of the CEV Champions League Women, Numia Vero Volley Milano have the upper hand against SSC Palmberg Schwerin, but there can be no room for complacency if the Italian side wants to continue their fantastic streak of providing a challenge for the trophy for yet another season. The away leg will take place on Thursday, 20 February, in Italy, scheduled for 19:00 CET.

Runners-up in the previous season of the European premium competition, Numia Vero Volley Milano have a star-studded squad and lost only four sets so far in 22 played this season in the CEV Champions League Women, with a single loss in seven matches, 0:3 against VakifBank Istanbul.

That loss saw Milano finish second in the pool, as they could only muster a 3:1 win against VakifBank, having a lower number of sets won, but had the clearest win in the first leg of the play-offs, being never in doubt against Schwerin, clinching a 3:0 win (25:14; 25:23; 25:16).

“We know that a crucial match awaits us in our quest to reach the quarterfinals. We are working both technically and mentally to start with the right approach and impose our game. Playing at  home will be an advantage, but Schwerin is an aggressive team with a fast-paced style, so we will need to be sharp—just as we were in the first leg—to secure the opening sets,” said Ludovica Guidi, Milano’s middle blocker.

In two of the three sets played in the first match between the two sides, Milano had a 54% and 57% attacking efficiency respectively, which only dropped in the second set, when Schwerin was close to deliver a surprise, leading 21:20, just in the business end of the set.

Nevertheless, powered by Paola Egonu, who had 17 points, and Nika Daalderop, who added 10 points, Milano bounced back and dominated the end, clinching a deserved 3:0 win, as Schwerin could never keep up with the fantastic rhythm imposed by the Italian side.

"We have to get ourselves into crunch time and then act more courageously. This could be our last Champions League game of the season, so we want to present ourselves in the best possible way,," said Schwerin’s coach, Felix Koslowski.

Milano have always made it into the quarter-finals in every season they played in the CEV Champions League Women, while Schwerin have never made it that far in the competition, with a 3:0 or 3:1 win here, combined with a golden set win, sealing their best-ever performance in the competition.

With only five wins in 17 matches played against Italian opposition, Schwerin will have a mountain to climb and will need an off night from Milano, whose experience and depth will raise serious challenges for the German side.

The winner of this doubleheader will face Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul in a crunch clash in the quarter-finals.