The volleyball team from VfB Friedrichshafen meets the Polish top club Jastrzebski Węgiel in the quarter-finals of the Volleyball Champions League.
The volleyball premier class wears blue. At least that’s what she’s doing these days on Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen. A simple explanation for this fact: The club colors of VfB Friedrichshafen are blue and white. For the first time since the treble victory in 2007, the “Häfler” are among the last eight in the highest European volleyball club competition, the CEV Champions League.
There, the German record champions meet Jastrzebski Węgiel in Ulm on March 9th, before it is on March 15th. goes to Poland for the second leg.
Despite the BL defeat: Friedrichshafen wants to believe in its own chance
Although the outsider role against the group opponents from Jastrzebie, they strike bold tones in Friedrichshafen. “This time the giant should fall,” says the press release from the volleyball Bundesliga club, so there are definitely chances against the Polish representative. And why not, after all, VfB were able to take a set from Poland in the first leg of the group stage at home. Friedrichshafen lost 3-1 at the time, but was on par with the Polish runner-up in the second set, which was lost 31-33.
There was even a sniff of a 2-0 set lead. Accordingly, head coach Mark Lebedew is optimistic in the VfB press release. “If we can do that again and we have a bit of luck – a net roller at the right time, for example – we have a chance.” However, everything has to fit playfully and emotionally, in contrast to the dress rehearsal in the Volleyball Bundesliga against SVG Lüneburg. This lost the Lebedev protégés in Friedrichshafen with 1:3. “We can make amends right away on Thursday,” says the 55-year-old head coach.
Simon Kohn: Between the second division and the premier class
Simon Kohn is also looking forward to the opportunity to make amends. Champions League games are always something very special for the 18-year-old outside attacker. “I’m really looking forward to it,” confirms Kohn in an interview. Born in Ulm, brother of player Hannah Kohn from Allianz MTV Stuttgart, has only been an integral part of the Friedrichshafen first division squad since this season. He still has the right to play for the Volley Youngstars, the Friedrichshafen second-division team, and he plays there regularly.
“Being able to call yourself a Champions League quarter-finalist is always cool, especially when it’s your first year where you’re introduced to the pros,” says Kohn. It is an honor for him to be able to show himself on stage in the premier class.
But the young talent also knows how important the game against last year’s Polish semi-finalists is. “I think the quarter-finals mean a lot for VfB. They didn’t make it past the group stage for many years. That’s why it’s important for the club to get a foothold in Europe again.” The quarter-finals in the Champion League is probably not the worst first step.
Hoping for a good starting position for the second leg
Simon Kohn is quite optimistic about the upcoming Champions League game: “If we catch one of our best games and maybe they’re not having their best day, then it can definitely be exciting,” says the outside attacker, “maybe we can do it get angry and take a point or just win the game.”
This scenario would benefit the Häflern before the second leg in that a straight win in Poland would automatically guarantee progress to the semi-finals. But first the first leg has to be contested.
Friedrichshafen feels comfortable as an underdog
And maybe the giant from Poland will actually fall on Thursday evening in Ulm. In the role of the underdog, VfB Friedrichshafen has been shown to feel comfortable. “Maybe that’ll be good for the team, we can just play loosely,” says Mark Lebedew. “It was like that in the group stage against Jastrzebie.”
Against the team from Poland, which is peppered with three French Olympic champions, it will probably also depend on the qualities of Michal Superlak. The Polish attacker in the service of the Häfler is the most dangerous man at VfB with 124 points.