Panathinaikos and VALLEFOGLIA to lock horns in #CEVChallengeCupW Finals

Panathinaikos ATHENS of Greece and Italy’s rookies Megabox group VALLEFOGLIA will contest the final of this year’s CEV Challenge Cup – Women after they claimed back-to-back wins in their respective semi-finals with GS Panionios NEA SMYRNI and KHG KAPOSVÁRI NRC. VALLEFOGLIA will be playing host to the first leg of the finals on March 11 – with the return match following a week later in Athens. 

After claiming a 3-1 home victory last week, Panathinaikos comfortably took the two sets they needed from the re-match with domestic rivals Panionios (25-17, 25-18), lost the subsequent two sets (14-25, 19-25) and eventually had the upper hand at the tiebreak (15-8). 

Panathinaikos had previously reached the Final Four of the CEV Cup in 1981 and of the CEV Cup Winners’ Cup in 1995 – finishing in fourth place on both occasions. Moreover, in 2000 and in 2009, the ‘Greens’ had progressed to the grand finale of the CEV Cup Winners’ Cup and of the CEV Challenge Cup, respectively – losing those matches to Italian opposition, Pallavolo Sirio PERUGIA and Vini Monteschiavo JESI. 

Alessandro Chiappini, head coach of Panathinaikos: “I know we have achieved a historic qualification for women’s Volleyball at Panathinaikos and we are delighted to be in a European final for the third time; it is certainly a milestone for us. On the competitive side, I want to congratulate my players for their focus and determination. We played very well in the first two sets showing great patience, and our block-defence worked very effectively. Overall, we performed at a high level in many areas, and that is what earned us the qualification for the finals. We are celebrating the victory, but our joy lasts only until tonight; from tomorrow, we begin our preparation for the grand finale. The finals are a different story and will certainly be very difficult, but we will be ready to give our best.” 

European Cups rookies Megabox group VALLEFOGLIA did not concede a single set in their re-match with the side from Hungary (25-19, 25-16, 25-21) to advance to the final in their very first appearance in a European competition. They will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of ROMA Volley – who won the Challenge Cup last season in their maiden appearance in an international competition.