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.
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 “Düren”, 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 didn’t 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.
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 Hübner'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 Hübner's volleyball players cannot compete on equal terms: “Friedrichshafen”, “TSV Giesen”, and “Berlin”.
“Luneburg” has a pretty good composition. Erik Rörs 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.
In the 1st semi-final game, "AONS Milon" acted as an underdog, losing (0:3) and not showing anything of worth to “Luneburg”.
Stefan Hübner'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.
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