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Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Russia - Super League

Handicap2 by sets (-2)

Odds: 1.65Stake: 5/10

win

+3.3

Today there will be a Super League match between Fakel Novy Urengoy and Dynamo Moscow. Fakel This season, the team led by Roman Yempolov is on the tenth line of the standings, showcasing their usual game. They easily defeat teams that are below them in the ratings, but they lose hopelessly against the favourites. In the last round, Fakel suffered a crushing defeat by Zenit Kazan with a score of 3:0. The team has 11 victories and 11 losses in 22 matches Dynamo Moscow The guests in this match are a strong favourite. They occupy the third place in the Super League ratings. In their last match, they defeated Dynamo-LO with a score of 3:2, but before that, they suffered a bitter defeat of 2:3 against Belogorie. This season, as always, they have an impressive record: 15 victories and 7 losses. Head-to-head Since 2022, the teams have met six times and these encounters often ended with a crushing victory for Dynamo (3:1, 3:1, 3:0, 3:0, 3:0, 3:0). Match predictions and Bet No surprises are expected here. Dynamo needs points to catch up with Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, and Fakel does not aim for high places in the table. Because of this, there is a broad gap in the odds. The guests' victory is only given 1.12, while for Fakel it is 4.89. I would not advise taking a single bet, unless you put it in an express. It's better to consider the handicap on sets (-2).

14.02.2024

121

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Aluron Virtu Warta Zawiercie

Handicap1 by sets (+2.5)

Odds: 1.7Stake: 5/10

win

+3.5

The 21st round of the Polish PlusLiga is underway. "Barkom-Kazhany" is set to square off against "Zawiercie" on neutral ground at the "WOSiR" sports hall. The Ukrainian team occasionally brightens up their gloomy stay in the second group of playoff contenders with victories, while "Zawiercie" is now fully engaged in the PlusLiga and the Polish Cup, having been knocked out of the European cups. Barkom-Kazhany Just one victory over "Slepsk Suwalki" lifted the Ukrainians to the 11th spot. At the very least, Ugis Krastins's volleyball players need to look decent against their direct competitors. Failures have accompanied "Barkom-Kazhany" throughout the season, but I've noted that the team is quite decent, even if they don't always find success. Defeating "Slepsk Suwalki" on their turf with a score of (3:0) is great, although it may seem that the Ukrainian team hasn't done anything extraordinary. On the contrary, they pulled themselves together after two consecutive losses and managed to win against a direct competitor from the lower part of the table. Now "Barkom-Kazhany" begin a series of challenging opponents, so losses are likely to occur, and later will come a chance to make amends by winning a couple of matches against competitors of their level. The Ukrainian team boasts a number of good volleyball players. I sometimes do not praise Luciano Palonski, but he works wonderfully in attack and brings a lot of benefits to "Barkom-Kazhany". Naturally, Musse Gueye is still effective on the block, and diagonal Vasily Tupchiy is the leader in terms of points brought to his team, often receiving the MVP of the match, if the Ukrainians win. "Zawiercie", feeling tired and experiencing a dip, comes to "Barkom-Kazhany" after being knocked out of the ECV Cup. We'll see if the Ukrainians can step up their game, but they certainly should not shy away from their abilities. Zawiercie "Zawiercie" fell short in the golden set against "Resovia Rzeszow". Michal Winiarski's volleyball players played wonderfully during the main match, but there were not enough emotions for the main round, that's what they lacked at the crucial moment. In any case, "Zawiercie" looked decent in the ECV Cup and I even dared to call them the main favourites for the trophy. Now the focus must be on the PlusLiga, with a passing match in the Polish Cup, assuming that "Zawiercie" doesn't play too weakly against "Rudzinec" from the third Polish division. Mihal Winiarski's team continues to have a solid roster. Let's see whether the head coach of "Zawiercie" gives reserve players a chance to participate, but Karol Butrin, who hardly ever misses matches this season, is sure to be on the pitch. Bartosz Qwolek must show all his abilities, and Luke Perry will again try to produce good statistics in reception. "Zawiercie" should not have problems with "Barkom-Kazhany", but the disappointment after their failure in the ECV Cup might lead to a careless performance in the championship, or conversely, this match might pull Michal Winiarski's volleyball players out of their minor crisis, forcing them to play even better than before the loss to "Rzeszow". Head-to-Head In the first round, "Zawiercie" defeated "Barkom-Kazhany" (3:0), and only in one set did they allow their opponent to win. Prediction for the match: Barkom-Kazhany - Zawiercie If the Ukrainians step up their attack, they could expect to win at least one set, thus, I would opt for a bet with an plus handicap for the nominal hosts of this game.

11.02.2024

126

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Asseco Resovia Rzeszow

Handicap2 by sets (+2)

Odds: 1.96Stake: 5/10

win

+4.8

Moving on to volleyball, more specifically, we'll cover a few matches from the 21st round of the Polish PlusLiga. The CEV Cup semi-finalist team "Resovia Rzeszw" will contend on their own turf with "Stal Nysa", a team that seems content with just the national championship. Resovia Rzeszw The most important thing is that "Resovia Rzeszw" has outplayed "Zawiercie". Their loss (0:3) in the main return match was predictable, as it seems the volleyball players of Gianpaolo Medei lured the opponent into being overconfident and terribly tired, losing the golden set (11:15). This victory in the Polish quarterfinal confrontation of the CEV Cup must have inspired the volleyball players of "Resovia Rzeszw". On such a surge, they can routinely outplay opponents in the PlusLiga, and they will need to march decently through the Polish Cup against "Luk Lubin", who is considered a strong middling team in the country's championship. Gianpaolo Medei will likely rotate his composition for a showdown with "Stal Nysa". First of all, the defenders need to be rested - they've been hard at work in the previous match. Secondly, the attack leaders need to be spared for the Polish Cup, where they must demonstrate excellent stats. If they approach the game against "Stal Nysa" correctly, there's no doubt that even in a slightly amended formation, "Resovia Rzeszw" ought to win. Stal Nysa Two successive victories in the championship have not cheered up the fans of "Stal Nysa". The team under the leadership of Daniel Plinski is still running neck and neck with the 2nd group of contenders for the playoffs - somewhere they would rather not fall. Yet over the course of this season, "Stal Nysa" has been winning a lot, often outpacing opponents from the lower part of the table, but they lack successful clashes with group leaders and things are not shaping up as needed with direct competitors: the recent losses to "Skra Bełchatw" and "Kędzierzyn-Koźle" are examples of this. "Stal Nysa" has a good but small lineup. We always note the work of Zouheir El Graoui and occasionally, Mateusz Muzaj shines, although his game was off at the beginning of the season. After losing to "Skra Bełchatw", he sustained an injury - his second this season. Though "Stal Nysa" is not one of the biggest clubs in PlusLiga, it's capable of reaching the playoffs with the leading group. It's tough to win against "Resovia Rzeszw", especially in an away game, but Daniel Plinski's volleyball players might at least not fail in this match, for example by winning 1 set. Head-to-Head In the 1st round, "Stal Nysa" put up a good match against "Resovia Rzeszw", but leading 2:1 in sets, Plinski's team began to feel the class of the opponent and lost the match. Match prediction: Resovia Rzeszw - Stal Nysa I will choose the plus handicap in points for "Stal Nysa". Gianpaolo Medei is certain to utilise a slew of changes - the opponent of "Resovia Rzeszw" is not that simple to outplay without difficulty, getting a 3:0 set win.

10.02.2024

121

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Europe - CEV Cup

Odds: 1.56Stake: 5/10

Bet

The most tantalising quarter-final face-off in the CEV Cup has been dubbed the Polish battle between Zawiercie and Resovia Rzeszow. Following the triumph of Giampaolo Medei's squad on their home court at the Podpromie sports and entertainment complex, anticipation is growing as the "Jurassic Knights" need to regroup and win the return match, where a score of (3:1) would manage, although a clean victory would be ideal. Zawiercie Attention towards Zawiercie remains elevated, as this southern Polish club presents a formidable force in this current season, endeavouring to shine in all competitions. The loss (0:3) to Resovia Rzeszow continues to baffle, with many initially expecting an unblemished victory from the "Jurassic Knights". Something initially went awry for Michal Winiarski, who did not foresee the successful combinations from the opposition, nor their diagonals easily penetrating his players' blocks. A long-awaited defeat for Zawiercie finally came, albeit at an unfortunate timing in critical matches, and was followed by a casual triumph over Czarni Radom in the Plus League. Zawiercie boasts an impressively synergistic line-up. Looking to bolster their attack, Karol Butryn will again be put on the offensive - it would be great to see reliable defence in the showdown with Resovia Rzeszow, so Miguel Tavares Rodrigues must be spot-on in his role and Libero Luke Perry won't, hopefully, falter on the backline. Michal Winiarski's players have the potential to prevail in the return match against Resovia Rzeszow, provided they avoid a total collapse similar to the first game, which saw the entire squad largely unrecognisable. Resovia Rzeszow Giampaolo Medei's troops left a pleasant impression in the first match against Zawiercie in the CEV Cup quarterfinals. Particularly after suffering two consecutive losses in the Plus League, the players of Resovia Rzeszow seem to have propelled themselves boldly, failing to outmanoeuvre direct competitors, including Michal Winiarski's team, and ending up deflated in the confrontation with Jastrzebski Wegiel. The win against Zawiercie in the CEV Cup does not guarantee Resovia Rzeszow a semi-final slot, but it undoubtedly instils a psychological advantage. The key question is: how so? They must not let their guard down in the return match, considering the consistently commendable form of the opposition this season, having managed numerous 3:0 scores; in this case, 3:1 in favour of Zawiercie would suffice. In the Plus League, Resovia Rzeszow practically overcame Kedzierzyn-Kozle with ease in the previous round, experiencing a slight hiccup only in the third set. Even then, Medei's players projected confidence, despite lagging in score. Resovia Rzeszow possesses a powerful line-up. Always performing at utmost capacity, Steven Boyer deserves a mention, as does Jakub Kochanowski for his commendable efforts. The Polish defender takes on a significant chunk of the work, becoming a central figure in his team on the court in any match. Giampaolo Medeis players need not rest on their laurels but instead strive to entirely exclude playing by the score, otherwise, Zawiercie could seize the initiative and push the confrontation into a golden set. Head-to-Head In this season's Plus League, Resovia Rzeszow and Zawiercie have both overcome one another. Still, what matters is their performance in the CEV Cup and whether Michal Winiarski's team will exact revenge for their defeat in Podpromie. Match prediction: Zawiercie - Resovia Rzeszow The favourites here are Zawiercie, who need a (3:0) or (3:1) victory. Winiarski's players are likely to come through, so I'll opt for the clear win.

08.02.2024

126

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Europe - CEV Cup

Odds: 1.57Stake: 5/10

win

+2.9

In the CEV Volleyball Cup, the remaining two quarter-final return matches will take place, followed by the semi-finalist draw. The Greek club AONS Milon will play against Luneburg. The first match between these teams ended in favour of the Germans with a score (3:0) in sets, making it quite intriguing to see if the hosts of the second match at the "Gymnasium Milona" can make up for this lead. AONS Milon In reality, the AONS Milon club does not have many laureates. In the last century, they were champions of Greece in volleyball in 1962 and 1964, and since then the club has shown modest results. At the present moment, AONS Milon is playing its 4th consecutive season in the country's Premier League andhas already achieved minor success by reaching the CEV Cup semi-final. AONS Milon is not having any issues in Greece's championship. The club is among the leaders and yet again vying for the Euro Cups. Competing with the three strong teams of the Premier League is not that simple for Sakis Psarras' volleyball players, but they manage to outplay those who are lower class. The CEV Cup started for AONS Milon at the 1/64 final, so the Greeks are going through the whole grid without being among the seeds. In all the battles, they had to give it their all, although there were some simple matches. Already in the 1/8 final against the German Dren, it seemed that the Greek team would have difficulties. Yes, in the return game AONS Milon lost (2:3) on their home turf, but the main objective was to maintain the advantage gained in Germany, where Psarras' volleyball players won with a difference of 2 sets. Then there was the French Nantes, with whom AONS Milon had an interesting rivalry, and it was the Greek club who had the upper hand. In the first game, Psarras' team led (2:0) in sets, but then Nantes made a comeback, but victory went to Milon. In the return match again a tight battle, which led to a 5th party, where the French barely won (19:17), but the golden set was taken by the Greek club, showing clarity in reception. The team is well-versed with Sakis Psarras. The spikers are powerful, for instance, Pedro Molina, who got a top statistical rating after the 1st game with Luneburg. Boyan Yordanov is also quite reliable, however, specifically against the German club in the semi-final, his performance didnt shine. The first "AONS Milon" party is required to feel confident in the victory. It will be hard to win against Luneburg even with a score (3:1), but fans will be pushing their volleyball players, and the players themselves should have learned from the defeat in the 1st match. Luneburg In the Bundesliga, Luneburg has the task of overtaking Berlin and not letting Friedrichshafen, which deprived the Hanseatic city team of the play-offs last season, get closer. The entire current season for Stefan Hbner's volleyball players is going in a swaying mode, when there are successes and failures. For example, in the German Super Cup, the Lower Saxony club failed to win even the bronze, and in the country's Cup, they were beaten by the same Berlin. In the Champions League, they failed to make the play-offs in tight competition, although there was no doubt that together with Jastrzębski Węgiel, Luneburg had more chances to leave the group through 2nd place. But everything is fine in the championship, although there are at least 3 competitors with whom Stefan Hbner's volleyball players cannot compete on equal terms: Friedrichshafen, TSV Giesen, and Berlin. Luneburg has a pretty good composition. Erik Rrs is almost always effective and again, he will be relied upon by the head coach of the Lower Saxony team. And the Canadian Jesse Elzer looks successful as a spiker - he was quite beneficial in the 1st game with the Greek club in the CEV Cup semi-final. In addition, the libero Gage Worsley is praised, who looked great in the 1st semi-final match of the European Cup battle. "Luneburg" should be progressing to the final because it's stronger than its 1/2 counterpart shown by assured home victory in its turf. If the Germans play no worse, they could win the return match. Head-To-Head In the 1st semi-final game, "AONS Milon" acted as an underdog, losing (0:3) and not showing anything of worth to Luneburg. Match prediction: AONS Milon - Luneburg Stefan Hbner's volleyball players should win the 2nd match of the confrontation skillfully, if not super convincingly. We'll take on win for Luneburg, who need to win again class-wise.

08.02.2024

131

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

KS Norwid Czestochowa

Handicap2 by sets (-1.5)

Odds: 1.62Stake: 5/10

win

+3.1

Turning our lens once again to the volleyball PlusLiga's 21st round of action, we have Norwid Częstochowa up against Olsztyn. The southern Polish club is a good way off from the leading eight, striving for a playoff spot in the Challenger Cup qualification group. As for the northern championship collective, they sit comfortably midpoint, but a slip against Norwid Częstochowa could see them tumble off course. Norwid Częstochowa Coach Lech Gudzjak's team is sliding dangerously close to the outsiders zone after a series of losses. While they may not spiral as far down as Czarni Radom, a losing streak can certainly send them back to the First League. There were glimpses of good volleyball from Norwid Częstochowa in the previous match against Stal Nysa, but the latter maintained a confident lead throughout set 5 (15:9) and emerged victorious. In terms of lineup, the southern Polish club can indeed rival their counterparts from Group 2 vying for the playoffs. Attacker Dawid Dulski consistently carries a significant point-load for his team. Norwid Częstochowa's blocking, courtesy of Bartosz Schmidt and Peter Hein, although not always spectacular, has made a valuable contribution. In defence, Thomas Kowalski and Rafal Sobanski have had commendable spells, even in unfamiliar positions. The match against Olsztyn carries weight for Norwid Częstochowa in many ways. Besides hopeful prospects of breaking into the leading eight, it's high time they claimed a victory, especially considering their streak of five consecutive defeats. A home-win against Olsztyn would be a springboard for future successes Olsztyn The team under coach Javier Weber gets underestimated at times, but on other occasions, they're recipients of premature compliments. For instance, no one expected Skra Bełchatw to take such a drubbing (0:3) on their home ground from this northern Polish club. And most thought Olsztyn had the upper hand against Stal Nysa, but it was a (2:3) upset in favour of Daniel Pliński's team opinions on who looked better during the match vary. Such inconsistency could risk a playoffs berth in the leaders' group, but Weber's carefully handpicked calendar allows for a couple of challenging face-offs alongside several battles that Olsztyn ought to win. Weber has a well-chosen lineup capable of achieving playoff qualification at the very least, and a plausible aspiration for a CEV Cup ticket. Standout performers for Olsztyn include the near-flawless defender Szymon Jakubiak and forward Alan Sousa, who has a strong case for joining a PlusLiga top club in the coming season. Olsztyn is entering a phase of crucial matches requiring class-act wins over adversaries. The match against Norwid Częstochowa is one such venue to demonstrate their superior volleyball level, with the fact of it being an away game against a lower-half opponent holding little bearing. Head-to-Head In the first round, Olsztyn managed a hard-fought victory over Norwid Częstochowa (3:1), even though they entered as overwhelming favourites. Match forecast: Norwid Częstochowa - Olsztyn Olsztyn must rise to the occasion and secure a win over opponents of this level. I'll back the favourites here with a handicap of (-1.5) sets for the match.

07.02.2024

131

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Handicap1 by sets (-1.5)

Odds: 2.07Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

In the Polish PlusLiga volleyball league, the remaining matches of the 20th round will take place. Gdansk and Luk Lubin will meet on the field of the club in Northern Poland. They are next to each other in the table, so their meeting will be a mini-showdown for the 5th place in the championship. Gdansk If Gdansk had played a little more confidently this season, they might have been closer to Resovia Zeshuv in the table and further from Luk Lubin, which is playing the regular season at roughly the same pace, sometimes allowing lower-ranking championship teams to get the upper hand. The point is that Gdansk somehow managed to give away points to Kuprum, even though it seemed that after two super confident victories, Igor Yuricic's volleyball players would outplay one of the outsiders of this season's PlusLiga. The defending Gdansk side made many mistakes, the opponents played well, and Jake Haines was incredibly effective, becoming the MVP of the match. The Northern Poland team's calendar is packed with challenging confrontations, so they must pull themselves together and not allow a crisis that could deprive them of a playoff spot. The roster of Gdansk is decent, though not super powerful. Patrick Nemez is doing his best at the block - Jordan Zaleshchik has recovered from injury and already showed good individual statistics against Kuprum. In principle, Gdansk's defence is of high quality, but they seem to have claims against it when the team plays as the favourite. Gdansk will surely make it to the playoffs through the group of leaders - Yuricic's volleyball players should prepare for the confrontation in the Polish Cup with Yastrzhembsky Vegielem, by the way, this match will take place at the opponent's arena, to which Gdansk will arrive as an underdog. Gdansk needs to display smart volleyball against Luk Lubin with corrections made after the away game against Kuprum. Let's see what conclusions the "Northern Lions" have drawn. Politeckhnica Lubin Massimo Botti is doing well with the team from Lubin. The most important thing is that Politeckhnica has identified itself as the main contender for the playoffs from the group of regular season leaders - the team is well-coordinated and able to hold its own in the knockout stages. In the championship, Luk beats many opponents, and even when the opponent seems too good, the team from Lubin nonetheless finds ways to outplay them. An example could be the last round's battle with Skra Belchatow, when it seemed that on many indicators the guests could outdo Luk, but the opposite happened, with all the stats against one of the most popular clubs in Poland. In Lubin team's schedule, there are many interesting and simultaneously challenging confrontations, including a battle with Resovia Zeshuv in the Polish Cup. Naturally, they can't focus all their attention on the secondary tournament, because Luk could still find itself outside the group of leaders, with competitors like Skra Belchatow and Kedzhegin-Kozle trailing behind, capable of stepping up in the second round of the PlusLiga. Amongst Massimo Botti's team, it's worth highlighting the main leader of attack, Mateusz Malinovsky - Damian Schultz was also confident, even though his start of season had been lacklustre, he now looks flawless in many championship matches. Luk Lubin's defence is reliable. There's Marcin Komenda and quality libero Falen Hoss, and a decent block, in which Jan Novakowski and Marcin Kania stand out amongst others, often praised by the team coach. Luk Lubin is okay, but the trip to Gdansk won't be as straightforward as the game against Skra Belchatow, where everything went Massimo Botti's way volleyball players. It's not necessarily a five-set match, but certainly an equal one, as the teams are close in the table and there's no absolute favourite for this match, to whom one could invest big money in right now. Head-to-Head In the first round, Politeckhnica Lubin defeated Gdansk (3:2), with both teams being very equally matched, even exchanging sets with identical scores. Prediction for the match: Gdansk vs. Luk Lubin I'll choose an usual bet. Perhaps Gdansk could win confidently, if it improves its attack and avoids the mistakes we saw in the previous match.

07.02.2024

136

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Europe - Champions League

Odds: 1.59Stake: 5/10

win

+3.0

Today, in the return match of the 1/8 Champions League volleyball, Spanish team Guaguas will play against Czech team Lvi Praha. Lvi Praha Heading into the return match of the 1/8 finals of the Champions League volleyball, Lvi Praha faces a challenging task to restore spirit after a heavy defeat from Guaguas, which ended their impressive 11-game winning streak. In that match, the Czech team fought in each set, bringing the score to 23:24, but lost despite a strong finish, especially in the first set, where they recovered from a deficit of more than 5 points. In the group stage of the Champions League (CL), Lviv performed well, finishing with a 3-3 result and conceding to Lube Civitanova from Italy.In the Czech national championship, the team dominates, occupying the top spot with 17 wins and only 2 losses, surpassing their closest pursuers Kladno and Liberec. Recent matches in the championship underline their strength: a confident win over Brno with a score of 3:0, a tense struggle with Prsibram ending in a 3:2 victory, as well as successful games against Ceske-Budejovice and Liberec with scores of 3:1.Lvi Praha is approaching the upcoming European challenge with a strong national campaign behind them, though they need to rethink their strategy after their recent international defeat. Gwagwas The Spanish volleyball team Guaguasheads into the return match of the 1/8 Champions League finals with confidence, thanks to their convincing 3:0 victory over Lvi Praha in the first game. During this meeting, Gwagwas demonstrated their ability to turn the tide of the game during the finals, particularly noticeable in the first set, where leading by 23:17, they gave no chance for a comeback to their opponents. Now, to proceed to the quarterfinals, they only need to win a single set.On the international level, Guaguas faced difficulties, notably suffering a defeat from Ceske-Budejovice and finishing the Champions League group stage with a 3-3 result, preventing them from taking the top spot in the group. Losses from Jastrzębski Węgiel and Luneburg emphasised these difficulties.However, on a national level, Guaguas demonstrates quite different results, confidently holding the first place in the Spanish championship with 16 wins and only 1 loss. A string of 11 victories in the last 12 matches confirms their domination in the national championship, despite recent games being quite challenging for them. Head-to-Head The rivals played a very hard-fought match in the first meeting, but you wouldn't tell by the 3:0 score in favour of the Spanish club. Match forecast Lvi Praha - Guaguas The Prague club had no official matches after the heavy defeat, whereas Gwagwas beat Unicaja 3:1. I think, if the Spaniards take the first set, they will introduce their second lineup, because after securing their spot in the quarterfinals, the Czechs, who have been playing decent volleyball, can still pull off a victory, albeit not with a score of 3:0 given the first match, this is an unlikely result. However, home ground is always an advantage.

07.02.2024

138

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Italy - SuperLega

Handicap2 by sets (-1.5)

Odds: 1.87Stake: 5/10

win

+4.4

In the 17th round of the Italian SuperLega, an intriguing match between Monza and Trentino will take place at the "Opikvad Arena". Massimo Eccheli's team currently sits in 7th position in the championship, whilst the northern Italian club leads the competition, albeit closely contested by Perugia for the top spot in the league. Monza For Massimo Eccheli's side, this is a season which could have seen two major successes. Regrettably, they succumbed to Perugia in the Italian Cup A1 final, despite brilliantly outrunning Trentino in the semi-finals. The remaining prospects lie in the championship and the Challenge Cup, where they have the upper hand against Galatasaray ahead of the away match. As for the championship, it's fairly straight forward: finish the remainder of the regular season without significant blunders in order to make the playoffs, where they could potentially earn a ticket to the CEV Cup and possibly cast a line towards the Champions League. Monza boasts a strong line-up this season, capable of winning a European trophy and accomplishing the minimum target in the SuperLega - to reach the playoffs. Striker Steven Maar, often recognised as the MVP of multiple matches, such as the game against Galatasaray, stands out consistently in the championship. Artur Schwartz also closely follows his position, consistently delivering valuable points for his team. Notably, Monza's defence is highly regarded across Italian sports radio. The odds on Monza's victory under the leadership of Massimo Eccheli may have probably been underestimated before the match against Trentino. Nevertheless, Monza remains quite competent and could potentially surprise the SuperLega leader once again. Trentino Securing a regular season championship is prestigious, but for Trentino, the focus lies on preparing for the Champions League playoffs. As they wait for a quarter final opponent in the European cups, amplified attention can be aimed towards SuperLega where complications are absent but the challenge to secure the throne until the championship playoffs is present. In the Italian Cup, Trentino could have potentially defeated Monza, but their opponents played too conservatively - every player in Massimo Eccheli's team was prepared to give no quarter and at the very least showcase their abilities against the semi-final's and overall competition's favourite. In terms of line-up, Trentino outshines many European teams, thus Favio Soli's athletes are considered favourites in every tournament they participate in. Among the key forwards of this team, Alessandro Michelotto stands out as one of the strongest strikers in the world. Furthermore, Camille Rychlicki is in good form, at times even surpassing Micheletto in individual performance. Trentino is a strong team, which occasionally allows themselves to fumble. The clash with Monza won't be easy, but if Soli's team aims to maintain 1st place in the league table, they need to win this match. Head-to-Head In the first round of SuperLega, Trentino managed to produce quality performance against Monza on home turf. However, in the Italian Cup, the championship leaders fell short against the Lombard side, despite the latter not holding a substantial advantage. Match prediction: Monza - Trentino Trentino is expected to redeem themselves from the previous failures in the Italian Cup. Therefore, I'll wager on Trentino win. Even if Soli's team ends up being overtaken, it could happen in one set.

03.02.2024

131

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Russia - Super League Women

Yuzgu-Atom Kurskaya Oblast

Handicap2 by sets (+2.5)

Odds: 1.6Stake: 5/10

win

+3.0

In the second match of the Women's Volleyball Super League game day, the underdogs "Minchanka" and "Atom-Kursk" will go head to head. Minchanka Minsk The Belarusian club is, unfortunately, experiencing one of its worst seasons to date, boasting only 2 victories in the regular championship so far. Given the altered format of the competition, the team runs the risk of losing their Super League spot in the playoff games should they remain in their current next-to-last place. Their sole victories to date have come consecutively in two November matches against their current adversary (1:3) and a home game against Zarechye-Odintsovo (3:2). Post-New Year, Minchanka's only notable achievement was a hard-fought tie-breaker in a match against Krasnoyarsk's Enisey. Atom Kursk Atom Kursk started off their previous season strong, breaking out of the group stage of the Russian Cup, and being the only team from the Higher League A to overcome the preliminary stage. This accomplishment was noted by the regional administration, which then set an ambitious goal for the team led by Yuri Tokarev: winning the Higher League A. The team managed to win 4 out of 5 matches in the tour and essentially secured the Higher League A championship and subsequent promotion to the Super League after defeating Severyanka on the second game day.In the off-season, Atom-Kursk underwent significant changes, with only Victoria Ivanova, Polina Syrkina, and Ekaterina Rozenkop remaining from the previous roster. Over the course of the season, the team has been reinforced by Victoria Sekretova from Zarechye and the club's first-ever foreign player, Evilania Martinez. However, Atom Kursk has yet to claim their first Super League victory. The team came closest in a home game against Zarechye-Odintsovo. After winning the first two sets, they conceded the remaining sets and were forced to settle for a single point. In subsequent matches, the Kursk club managed to take only two sets from ten games. Head-to-Head The teams last faced off within the first round of the Super League regular season. On this occasion, Atom Kursk suffered a 1:3 defeat. Match prediction For this match, I believe the visitors may have a chance of forcing a fourth set, and potentially even a tie-break. Both teams are struggling at the moment, and I do not foresee a massive victory for Minchanka today.

03.02.2024

135

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

KS Norwid Czestochowa

Handicap1 by sets (-1.5)

Odds: 1.51Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

We're heading over to the south-west of Poland, where the volleyball club Stal Nysa resides. This club is on the brink of joining the contenders for the Challenge Cup, but it's clear that team coach, Daniel Pliński, has his sights set on gaining more significant European cup tickets. In the 20th round, the southwestern team is set to play a home game against Norwid Częstochowa, a team that sits in the lower part of the PlusLiga table and hardly hopes to be among the championship's main leaders. Stal Nysa The club Stal Nysa has grown used to series of losses - the southwestern Polish team has been beaten only by strong opponents. The start of the year was a repeat of the season's start, with Pliński's players failing important matches, such as losing in class matches against Jastrzębski Węgiel or the impressive Zawiercie. In the last round, Stal Nysa won against Olsztyn, having mirrored the 1st round 3:2 defeat by Pliński's volleyball players. It was a nerve-wracking match, but ultimately, the nuances decided the outcome. We've noted that Daniel Pliński's player roster is not the most grandiose. Zuheir El Graoui stands out - a master "beach" player who is also effective in standard volleyball, as evidenced by his individual statistics. Timofey Zhukovsky is often praised, and in my opinion, he's a strong defender and a smart playmaker. Stal Nysa is aiming to convincingly act as the favourite in order not to fall from the 8th spot in the table; even better if further advancement is possible. Against Norwid Częstochowa, victory is necessary, especially since Daniel Pliński's players are significantly stronger. Norwid Częstochowa The southern Polish club often struggles in games where there's a need for victories. It's hardly surprising that "Norwid Częstochowa" is in its position in the PlusLiga table, but the team is quite good despite what the media may write. At the start of the new year, Leszek Gudzjak's volleyball players won only one game against "Gdansk," and no one bet on "Norwid Częstochowa," but they convincingly won by the score of 3:1. Before that, they had beaten "Luk Lubin" who lead the pack; then came the losses. In three of the last four matches of the southern Polish club, logical failures were observed, with "Project Warsaw", "Zawiercie" and "Jastrzębski Węgiel" winning as favourites. The match against "Slepsk Suwalki," however, was a disaster, with "Norwid Częstochowa" only starting to play as necessary in the third set. Leszek Gudzjak's team has an interesting line-up. There is a good finisher, Rafal Sobanski, but he hasn't been showing his best game in the new year - though he should. David Dulski, on the other hand, deserves praise as he almost always performs at his maximum. Norwid Częstochowa doesn't have big prospects to make it into the European cups this season. They need to decently get through the 2nd round to make it into the play-offs through the group competing for the Challenge Cup spot. In the match against Stal Nysa, it will be challenging in all directions; therefore, Norwid Częstochowa is not considered a significant contender to win this match. Head-to-Head In the 1st round, Stal Nysa beat Norwid Częstochowa with a score of 3:0, and all sets were won by Daniel Pliński's volleyball players with an advantage. Match prediction: Stal Nysa - Norwid Częstochowa The only viable option here implies a confident victory for Stal Nysa. The handicap of (-1.5) sets on Pliński's team is perfect for this match.

02.02.2024

144

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Handicap1 by sets (+1)

Odds: 1.6Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

The 20th round of the PlusLiga volleyball kicks off. We'll start with a clash in Belchatow, where local team Skra hosts the club Olsztyn from the ancient northern city of Poland. Skra Belchatow Andrea Gardini's collective must defend its position in the top eight. Currently, it is quite shaky for Skra, as competitors are closely pressing and a couple of failures could push the team back into the second group of playoff contenders, where less prestigious clubs such as "bees" reside. The away game of the previous round against Luk Lubin did not work out for Skra. Only in the second set did something resembling Gardini volleyballists' true potential start to emerge, but the rival played excellently and still managed not to allow the "bees" to catch up. The score (0:3) just indicates that the club from Belchatow did not engage immediately, then lost the key set and failed the third party, presumably under negative emotions. By the time of this defeat, Skra had a series of victories, with all lower table competitors defeated, but there is still uncertainty whether Gardini's volleyball players will look effective in the playoff contenders group through the top eight. There are no questions to the Italian coach regarding the team, he is arguably making good use of the available player volume. Davida Konarski was missing in the last game due to injury, I think he will be absent against Olsztyn as well. Bartlomey Lemanski is often very good on the block, although he has not been very productive for two games in a row. In attack, Bartolomei Lipinski is very hard-working, even in the previous match with Luk Lubin, he was one of the best in Skra's line-up. A victory at home against Olsztyn will allow Andrea Gardini's team to stay in the top eight, while a defeat could push them back, so the "bees" have ample motivation to maintain their position among the playoff contenders, where European Cup tickets are played for Olsztyn Again, Javier Weber's volleyball players lost (2:3) this time already to the club "Stal Nysa". The match started well for Olsztyn, but then a close set was lost with a score of (28:30) and then a decline until the fourth set when the south-western club of Poland started to fumble in attack and Daniel Plinski's players' serve stopped hitting. Still, in the decisive set, Olsztyn looked mediocre until the score was (7:7), and then started to falter because of Patrick Sshurik's services. This defeat became the 5th in a row for Javier Weber's team, moreover, this year, Olsztyn has only managed to defeat "Projekt Warszawa". The situation needs to be rectified for the north-east club of Poland; otherwise, they may not make it into the main playoff contenders group and have to settle for the chance of winning a ticket to the Challenge Cup. The Olsztyn schedule includes a couple of tough opponents, including Skra Belchatow, but most of the teams that Javier Weber's volleyball players are due to play are within their strength level. Olsztyn has a good squad, there's always someone to praise. In the position of a central blocker, Cezar Sapinski is powerful, working with him is Simon Jakubisak, highly praised by many Polish volleyball experts. In the attack, as always, Alan Souza is good, and Manuel Armoa sometimes replaces him, although the Argentinean does not always have effective matches. Defender Joshua Tuiniga performs well, plus there's the other attacking player, Nicolas Sherken, who isn't always brilliant, but sometimes very effective in his position. Weber's team needs this victory over Skra Belchatow, but obtaining it will be problematic, given Olsztyn's current indicators as a whole. Nevertheless, it is not fair to consider the north-east Polish club as an underdog of this confrontation. Head-to-head In the 1st round, Olsztyn lost on its home ground to Skra Belchatow, even though the hosts were dubbed the favourites of the match. Match prediction: Skra Belchatow - Olsztyn The best bet would be the total of more than 4 sets in this game, which is expected to be evenly matched and it's conceivable that the teams could play all 5 sets.

02.02.2024

135

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Europe - CEV Cup

Odds: 1.74Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

Today, in the first quarterfinal of the EKB Cup, 2 Polish teams: Resovia Rzeszow and Zawiercie will face off. Resovia Rzeszow The Polish volleyball club Resovia Rzeszow approaches the last 16 of the EKB Cup with mixed results this current season. In the Polish Plus Liga, the team has been inconsistent, showing series of victories and defeats. Recently, Resovia Rzeszow suffered two consecutive losses in the Polish Plus Liga: a 3:1 defeat against Jastrzębski Węgiel on January 25 and a 3:1 defeat against Zawiercie.However, in the EKB Cup, Resovia Rzeszow had demonstrated reliable performance, securing 3rd place in their Champions League group with a 3-3 score, which ensured their place in this tournament. In the final match of the Champions League group stage, Resovia Rzeszow managed to defeat Trentino's second team 3-2, even though they had already lost any chance of progressing from the group. The recent results in Plus Liga before these defeats showed a steady gameplay, clinching a victory over Slepsk Suwalki by 3:1 and over Projekt Warsaw by 3:1. Before launching into the quarter-finals of the EKB Cup, it is crucial for Resovia Rzeszow to regroup and maximise their potential to overcome the present difficulties. Zawiercie The Polish team, Zawiercie, has been demonstrating impressive form by entering the quarterfinals of the EKB Cup on a 13-winning streak, including 9 wins in the Polish Plus Liga and 4 victories in the EKB Cup playoffs. In the last 16 of the EKB Cup, Zawiercie managed a spectacular and confident win over Italian Milan with a 6-0 aggregate score from the two matches, despite being considered outsiders before the game kicked off. Earlier, in the 1/16 finals, the team also easily dealt with Czech Kralovo, winning with an aggregate score of 6-0. The biggest test for Zawiercie arose in the 1/32 finals against the Bulgarian Hebar, where despite the easy 3-0 win in the first match, they lost 2-3 in the second, likely due to taking things easy after the convincing victory in the first set of the second game with a 25:13 score.Zawiercie's last defeat in Plus Liga was on December 6, 2023, against Projekt Warsaw, with a score of 0-3. However, since then the team has been showing exceptional gameplay, including recent wins over GKS Katowice by 3:1, Jastrzębski Węgiel by 3:1, and Norwid Czestochowa by 3:0. These results confirm their strong standing in the league where Zawiercie occupies 3rd place with 16 victories against 3 defeats, trailing just one win behind leader, Jastrzębski Węgiel, whom they have already defeated with a score of 3:1.Zawiercie strides into the EKB Cup quarter-final as one of the strongest contenders, having shown high performance in the national championship and successful showing on the international playground. Their ability to bounce back from tough situations and dominate both in the Plus Liga and in the EKB Cup makes them a serious contender for any team. Head-to-Head In recent confrontations between the Polish volleyball clubs, Resovia Rzeszow dominates with 3 wins out of the last 5 meetings in the Plus Liga. Despite their last defeat against Zawiercie with a score of 1-3, Resovia demonstrated their prowess in the previous games, including a convincing victory with a score of 3-0 and a tense win with a score of 3-2 in their favour. Predictions for the Resovia Rzeszow - Zawiercie match Taking into account the recent matches and the Cup experience, I am betting on a Zawiercie victory in the first quarter-final match. Zawiercie is currently on a winning spree of 13 matches, they're closing in on the leaders of the Plus Liga and are defeating them.

01.02.2024

151

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Europe - Champions League

Handicap2 by sets (+2)

Odds: 1.64Stake: 5/10

win

+3.2

Today, in the first match of the Champions League Volleyball Round of 16, the Spanish team Guaguas will faceoff against Lv Praha from the Czech Republic. Guaguas The Spanish volleyball team Guaguas, ahead of the first Round of 16 match in the Champions League, represents a team with a striking contrast in results at the national and European levels. In the group stage of the Champions League, Guaguas unexpectedly suffered a tie-break defeat, 2:3 against Ceske Budejovice, leading to the loss of first place in the group in favour of the Polish team Jastrzebski Wegiel and progressing to the Round of 16.In other significant Champions League matches, Guaguas also lost to Jastrzebski Wegiel with a score of 0:3 and fell to Lneburg with a score of 1:3, finishing the group-stage with a 3-3 result.However, within the Spanish championship, Guaguas presents a completely different picture. With a secure first place and a result of 15 victories with only 1 loss in 16 rounds, the team passionately dominates at the national level. Since 12th December, Guaguas has a series of 10 wins within 11 matches, although their latest games have been fairly challenging. For instance, they secured a 3:2 victory in a match against Emeve Lugo and defeated Manacor with a score of 3:1.Ahead of the first Round of 16 match in the Champions League playoffs, Guaguas will need to focus on improving their international results, considering their impressive performances at the national level. Lv Praha Before the first Round of 16 playoffs match in the volleyball Champions League, the Czech team from Prague appears in top form, boasting a string of 11 consecutive victories, including Champions League matches. In the Champions League group stage, Prague has demonstrated commendable performance, finishing with a 3-3 result, but giving up 6 points to Italian Lube Civitanova, losing both matches with a score of 0:3.In the Czech championship, Prague confidently holds first place, with a tally of 17 victories and only 2 losses, leading their closest competitor Kladno by 7 points and Liberec by 10 points. Lets look at Pragues recent matches: they secured a convincing 3:0 win in a game against Brno on January 27th. On January 25th, against Přbram, Prague also won in a more closely fought match, with a score of 3:2. In the Cup held on January 23rd, the team faced Ceske Budejovice and secured a 3:1 victory. On January 20th, in a match against Liberec, Prague demonstrated their superiority once again, winning with a score of 3:1. Head-to-head The teams have yet to play against each other in international tournaments. Match prediction: Guaguas - Lv Praha Both clubs are leading very convincingly in their respective championships and finished the Champions League group-stage with a 3-3 result, losing heavily to the leaders of their respective groups. According to the odds, the clear favourites are the Spaniards, but Prague currently boasts a streak of 11 consecutive victories. Im expecting a fight from the Czech team in the first match, putting my bet on their plus handicap.

30.01.2024

152

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Handicap2 by sets (-1.5)

Odds: 1.6Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

Within the scope of the Polish PlusLiga, Radom and Slepsk Suwalki volleyball teams are set to match up. Radom Radom is currently struggling in the PlusLiga league, taking the last, 16th position, with just two victories out of 18 matches. Of late, Radom has been on a losing streak, suffering four straight defeats, each of which was quite convincing.Recently, Radom experienced losses against formidable opponents: they lost to Projekt Warsaw with a 0:3 scoreline, then succumbed to Gdansk with the identical 0:3 scoreline. Later on, there was a defeat against Luka Lublin with another 0:3 scoreline where, despite a fighting spirit in each set, Radom couldn't snatch a single set (set scores were 23-25, 22-25, 23-25). The team also lost against Kuprum 0:3.Its interesting to note that the last victory Radom clinched in the championship was on 1st January when they outplayed Barkom with a 3:1 scoreline. This success, however, failed to shift their overall season trend where the team is evidently struggling to stay competitive and is showing inconsistency in their performance. Slepsk Suwalki Slepsk Suwalki currently sit at 11th place in the PlusLiga league, with a record of 7 wins and 11 losses. The team has recently shown positive momentum, bagging 3 victories in the last 5 matches, but these wins were against teams situated at the lower end of the table. Slepsk Suwalki triumphed against GKS Katowice with a 3:2 scoreline, then confidently beat Norwid Czestochowa 3:0 and Olsztyn 3:1. These outcomes may be taken as indicators of an improving form of the team and its ability to win against teams that rank lower on the tournament table.Nevertheless, against the leagues top teams, Slepsk Suwalki faces significant challenges, losing without any considerable chances of success. Of the 11 losses, the team succumbed set-wise 1:3 on only three occasions, while in the other matches the losses were 0:3, indicating a clear gap in the level of gameplay between Slepsk and the leagues leading teams. Head-to-Head In the last four encounters between Slepsk Suwalki and Czarni Radom within the PlusLiga and in friendly matches, Slepsk Suwalki has demonstrated superiority, obtaining victories in all of them. On 5th November 2023 in the PlusLiga, Slepsk clinched a convincing victory with a 3:0 scoreline. On 7th October 2023, in a friendly match, Slepsk emerged victorious again with a 3:0 scoreline. During the game on 10th February 2023 within the PlusLiga, Slepsk once again won with a 3:0 scoreline. On 10th November 2022, Radom lost in a fiercer battle within the PlusLiga, but this time too, Slepsk triumphed with a 3:2 scoreline. Prediction for the Radom vs Slepsk Suwalki match The visiting side stand a strong chance to overcome the team currently in the league's last position. Im placing my bet on a Slepsk win with a set handicap of (-1.5).

29.01.2024

145

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Aluron Virtu Warta Zawiercie

Handicap2 by sets (-2.5)

Odds: 1.9Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

Another match from the 19th round of the PlusLiga volleyball league is set to take place at the "Shopnitz" Sports Complex. GKS Katowice will host Zawierce. As much as they praise the team from southern Poland, they're still sitting on the 14th place, having won half of their last 10 games. The "Jurassic Knights" are doing splendidly, ranking 3rd in the championship and set to meet Resovia Rzeszw in the CEV Cup quarter-finals, so Zawierce's schedule is entirely filled with Polish opponents. GKS Katowice Grzegorz Slaba's volleyball players are stuck in the swamp of the league table, despite pulling up their results, they cannot catch up with their closest rivals. Only Czarni Radom and Cuprum are in a worse situation in the championship than GKS Katowice, which doesn't really encourage the "GiEKSsa" fans. In their previous match, Slaba's volleyball players lost to Slepsk Suwalki (2:3), but it's important to underline their opponents' form GKS Katowice won 3 of the 5 confrontations this year, which is uncommon to see from Dominik Kwapisiewicz's team. Things are getting tougher for "GiEKSsa" in terms of their schedule, so they'll need to increasingly go all out whenever they can to manage any points at all. Grzegorz Slaba's roster is decent and certainly, nobody could have predicted that GKS Katowice would be in the 14th position when you look at the roster of the southern Polish club before the start of the season. Usually, Jakub Jarosz stands out, who was slightly criticised for his poor game against Projekt Warsaw, but against Slepsk Suwalki, he showed a good performance. Bartłomiej Krulicki has started to regress somewhat, despite being useful at the block at the start of the season, but overall, GKS Katowice's roster surely shouldn't be languishing in the bottom part of the league table. In general, Grzegorz Slaba indeed has a strong selection of players, with whom, more serious tasks should be resolved. It was speculated that GKS Katowice would sit somewhere in the mid PlusLiga table, but they started to drop this season. Currently, one of the championship leaders, Zawierce, is playing powerfully, and I think, GKS Katowice can hardly show utterly confident play against such an opponent, even on their home court. Zawierce Mikhal Vinyarski's volleyball players need to keep this winning momentum. There is no point in chasing Astreymsky Wigel and Projekt Warsaw, especially when you need to properly distribute forces and emotions to two tournaments simultaneously. In the championship, Zawierce hasn't been defeated since round 10 when Mikhal Vinyarski's players lost to the capital's Projekt at their own stadium. Further were exclusively victories, including the CEV Cup, where Zawierce won all matches with the same score (3:0), losing only once to the Bulgarian club Hebar. Everyone is good in Mikhal Vinyarskis line-up. Even without Samuel Cooper, one of the main leaders of Zawierce, the "Jurassic Knights" coach has managed to cope, while Cooper hasn't participated since the beginning of the season due to injury. Among the current leaders, it's worth highlighting Karol Butrin who performs powerfully almost always, and in the previous championship match with "Resovia Rzeszw" he even received the MVP. In fact, Zawierce has a well-knit team and often the coaching staff is praised, who find that balance between the reforms and some reserves, who are allowed to work on the court. If the "Jurassic Knights" won't have any issue with their attitude to the game against the underdog, then GKS Katowice won't impede the path to another victory for Zawierce. Head-to-Head In the 1st round, the "southerners" made a comeback from 0:2 when playing away against the "Jurassic Knights", and in the 5th set conceded (12:15) because the opponent found their game in time, although it seemed that there would be a sensational victory from the match underdog. Prediction for the match: GKS Katowice - Zawierce I'm betting on a 0:3 by sets in this match, where the favourite is absolutely clear, but it's important that Zawierce doesn't neglect this match.

28.01.2024

136

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Poland - Plus Liga

Asseco Resovia Rzeszow

Handicap1 by sets (+1.5)

Odds: 1.91Stake: 5/10

lose

-5.0

Undeniably, the key clash of the 19th round of the Polish Plus League is set to be the battle between "Resovia Rzeszw" and "Jastrzebski Wegiel". At present, the teams are separated by ten points, but the regular season doesn't mandate anything, hence the clubs are tuning their volleyball, preparing for the playoffs which are just round the corner. Resovia Rzeszw Jampolo Medei's team didn't fare well in the Champions League. Even a victory over "Trentino" in Italy turned out to be more of a disappointment for "Rzeszw", who, in the rankings for teams that secured the third places, lost only to "Berlin". The same French "Tour" prevented "Resovia" from being in 2nd place in the group, but sometimes you encounter a challenging opponent, ready to beat you twice. In the championship, Medei's volleyball players struggle amidst the competition among leaders. In the current top five, Rzeszow lost in this year's regular play, even to Gdansk by 1:3, and Politeckhnica Lubin, who are in the 6th place, was defeated only in the 5th set. It's often noted that "Resovia's" team is quite suitable for a high position in the Plus League, and many expected to see Jampolo Medei's team in the Champions League playoffs. The middle blocker, Karol Klos, shows good results at the net - his position partner, Jakub Kochanowski, needs recognition as well, although after the game with "Gdansk" he suffered an injury. Steven Boyer is very efficient in attack, scoring a lot of points in "Rzeszw"'s last match against the defeated club "Zawiercie". Jastrzebski Wegiel will be even more challenging, as they are in excellent shape, having managed to make it to the playoffs in the Champions League and take 1st place in the Plus League. I think this game is important for "Resovia Rzeszw" psychologically, but the competitor is on the rise, and therefore will not play poorly. Jastrzebski Wegiel Marcelo Mendes' team aims to win both the Polish championship and the Champions League, and why not?! "Jastrzebski Wegiel's" schedule is becoming increasingly energy-intensive, but the club is very well prepared; however, they need to appropriately distribute their energy throughout the season to secure victories everywhere. In the Plus League, Mendes' volleyball players overtook Projekt Warszawa, though they trailed behind for a quite long time, and they managed to proceed from the 1st place in the group to the playoffs in the CL, where they have to play against "Piacenza" in the quarterfinals. Everything is excellent with "Jastrzebski Wegiel", but they need to stay in control, otherwise, they can relax and start to falter. The national championship, arguably, is of less interest to Mendes' team now, thus a routine loss should not upset the team. "Jastrzebski Wegiel" has a powerful roster. We once again praise Jean Patri, who is excellent in his attacking player position, delivering many quality strikes. Tomasz Fornal is in great shape, he receives well-deserved praise from journalists. The trip to Resovia Rzeszw will be interesting, but even if "Jastrzebski Wegiel" performs haphazardly, they must still be recognized as the absolute favourites of the match. Head-to-head In the 1st round, Mendes' volleyball players defeated Rzeszow (3:1), but the sets didn't convincingly go in favour of Jastrzebski Wegiel. Match prediction: Resovia Rzeszw - Jastrzebski Wegiel I believe it will be a closely contested match. It's possible that the balance will tilt towards the stronger guests, or they might not want to go full power, then Rzeszw will seize the initiative and manage to achieve victory. Nevertheless, a bet with handicap 1 by sets 1,5 should be a winning one for us in this match.

28.01.2024

138

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Germany - Bundesliga

SWD powervolleys Duren

Handicap2 by sets (-2.5)

Odds: 1.54Stake: 5/10

win

+2.7

Today in the German Volleyball Bundesliga, Freiburg and Dren will face each other. Freiburg Freiburg is experiencing a difficult period in the German Volleyball Bundesliga, having lost five consecutive matches. They currently hold the 9th position out of 12 teams in the championship, being only one point away from the relegation zone. Their overall performance includes three wins and twelve losses. Freiburg's recent matches: Against Dachau on 19 January - a 0:3 loss. Against Haching Munchen on 14 January - a 0:3 loss. Against Bitterfeld on 7 January - a 1:3 loss. Against Friedrichshafen on 2 January - a 0:3 loss. Against Herrsching on 30 December - a 1:3 loss. This series of defeats highlights the serious difficulties the team is facing. Notably, Haching Munchen, in the 11th position, secured their only victory in the last three months against Freiburg. Freiburg managed only one win in the last 14 rounds, defeating the bottom team, Netzhoppers, who have only one win this season. The current position of Freiburg in the league table and their latest results underline the need for urgent improvements in their gameplay to avoid the risk of relegation. Dren Dren holds the 5th place in the German Volleyball Bundesliga, trailing by five points behind Giesen, who is in the second position. In their last five matches, Dren achieved three victories but also faced two defeats against the league leaders. Dren's recent games: against Netzhoppers on 21 January a 3:1 win, giving away only one set to the team at the bottom of the league. Against Dachau on 13 January a confident 3:0 victory. Against Giesen on 6 January a 1:3 loss in an important face-off with one of the league leaders. Against Haching Munchen on 4 January a 3:0 win. Against Berlin on 30 December a 1:3 loss, with Berlin being the Bundesliga leader. These results indicate that Dren struggles in matches against the top teams of the league, such as Giesen and Berlin, losing 1:3 in sets. However, the team shows confidence and strength in games against weaker opponents, winning by large margins, as seen in matches against Dachau and Haching Munchen. This demonstrates that Dren is a competitive team in the Bundesliga, but they need to strengthen their game for successful performances against stronger opponents to improve their chances of achieving higher positions in the championship. Head-to-Head In 2023, Dren and Freiburg met twice, with Dren winning both encounters. The first match on 14 November in the German Volleyball Bundesliga ended with a 3:1 victory for Dren, and the second encounter on 22 October in the VBLS tournament concluded with a 2:0 win. Prediction for Freiburg - Dren Given Freiburg's dismal position in the table, my bet is on Dren, who consistently plays well against lower-ranked teams.

27.01.2024

162

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Germany - Bundesliga

Handicap2 by sets (-2.5)

Odds: 1.37Stake: 5/10

win

+1.9

Today, as part of the German Volleyball Bundesliga, a match will take place between the teams of Bitterfeld and SC Berlin. Bitterfeld In the German Volleyball Bundesliga, the Bitterfeld team currently holds the 7th place. In the last 5 matches, the team claimed three victories. However, these victories were against teams positioned at the lower part of the league table. Over the past six weeks, Bitterfeld suffered defeats in all matches against teams occupying higher positions in the tournament table, all with the same 0:3 match score. The losses to teams like Lneburg, Duren, Friedrichshafen, and Herrshing were without any real battle.On the other side, the team did secure victories over Freiburg (3:1), Dachau (3:0) and Haching (3:1), which has allowed them to maintain middling positions. These results underscore that Bitterfeld does well against analogous or lower-level teams, but struggles against tougher opponents. SC Berlin SC Berlin in the German Volleyball Bundesliga is presently displaying impressive results, comfortably holding the first position with 40 points after 15 matches. Notwithstanding the successful performance for the majority of the season, the team faced some hurdles in January. The Berlin-based team suffered losses in key encounters. They lost to direct competitor Giesen with a 0:3 score, with each of the sets being fiercely contested27:29, 23:25, 23:25 in favour of Giesen. Moreover, in the Champions League, Berlin also lost to Piacenza with a 0:3 score. After six rounds in the Champions League, the Berlin team holds the third spot in their group and maintains a strong chance to advance to the playoffs.In December, Berlin strung together a series of 7 consecutive victories in both the championship and the Champions League, speaking volumes about their high-level play. Head to Head In their first and only direct meeting of the first round on 15th November, Berlin won confidently with the scores 25:12, 25:22, 25:13. Forecast for the Bitterfeld - Berlin Match After a bitter defeat from the second-best Bundesliga team, Berlin is clearly hungry for revenge and will aim to thrash their opponent in the coming match, a team that has recently lost 0:3 against all top-tier teams. In their first encounter, Bitterfeld accrued a meagre 27 points in 3 sets.

26.01.2024

152

Benjamin Carter

Expert

Volleyball

Italy - SuperLega

Handicap1 by sets (+2)

Odds: 1.64Stake: 5/10

win

+3.2

It's been a while since I've turned to forecast matches of the Italian SuperLega in volleyball. It's about time to rectify this situation. The concluding match of the 16th round takes place in northeast Italy, where Padova will host Modena. There's only one slot separating these two teams in the table, however, an 8-point gap lies between them. Let's strive to astutely assess the encounter in Padua, selecting a worthy bet for it. Padova Padova finds itself in the throes of crisis, as if coach Jacopo Cuttini no longer comprehends how to manoeuvre when things aren't going well. In such scenarios, it's typical for the skipper to be replaced, perhaps Padova's board are already seeking a new helmsman. Supporters are getting anxious as Cuttini's outfit languishes in the outsider zone, especially after witnessing a more tactful brand of volleyball from their favourites last season. Even Cisterna managed to leapfrog Padova, beating them 3:1 on their home turf in the personal encounter last round. The squad at Jacopo Cuttini's disposal is quite good, with objectively strong volleyball players. Among the main leaders, noteworthy is Davide Gardini. Matthias Desmet is always beneficial when he's on the roster, despite not featuring against Cisterna. A singular victory would allow Padova to climb out of the crisis, and a match against Modena is a great opportunity to both disallow the "canaries" from consolidating their advantage in the table and to delight their supporters yearning for a win from their beloved club. Modena Francesco Petrella's team has been floundering recently, this following a great run of victories where Modena even bested Trentino. While there are many questions directed at the coaching staff of the "canaries", it must be noted that these losses have occurred against formidable opponents. For example, Modena was twice defeated by Perugia, first in the Italian Cup, then in the championship, both times with a 3:0 scoreline. Moreover, all defeats, save one, have been crushing defeats for Petrella's men. Modena's roster is more than suitable for accomplishing their ultimate goal securing a quarter-final place in the SuperLega. The list of key players includes Maxim Sapozhkov, who stood out offensively against Perugia in their previous match; Vlad Davyskiba regularly performs well; and Filippo Federici presents a solid tactical libero. While it's justified to consider Modena as favourites against Padova, I wouldn't bet on a decisive victory for the "canaries", especially against a very geared-up opponent. Head-to-Head In the 5th round, Modena quite comfortably defeated Padova 3:1 on their home turf. Match forecast: Padova - Modena My bet is on a plus handicap for Padova. It's high time for Cuttini's team to change their tune and set course for victory. At the very least, Modena should not triumph in this match without facing some resistance.

25.01.2024

192