SC Potsdam is in the Volleyball Champions League
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The surprise of Europe
SC Potsdam’s volleyball gamers have been profitable once more this season and precipitated a giant surprise, particularly at the worldwide degree. Now they’ve a possibility in the Champions League that nobody anticipated.
“It was completely loopy,” SC Potsdam coach Guillermo Hernandez recollects of considered one of the greatest victories in the membership’s historical past two weeks in the past. Underdogs Brandenburg, who began their first Champions League season with little ambition, shocked the reigning champions in a tie-break in Istanbul. It was one other excessive level in a unending success story.
Luck got here with Hernandez
Hernandez has been the coach at Potsdam since 2018 and has spearheaded the membership’s outstanding rise, which culminated in a primary title final 12 months – successful the Super Cup – and a second championship. Managers and consultants consider that teaching is the most essential key to success. The Spaniard himself is considerably reserved: “Others who say this should even be judged. What distinguishes me is that I contain the individuals round me in the membership as a lot as attainable. In many different golf equipment, coaches need an excessive amount of management. and don’t delegate something. Everyone is a vital a part of the course of for us.”
He additionally managed to draw one or the different worldwide participant to Potsdam. In addition to his Bundesliga commitments, Hernandez is the nationwide coach of Greece. “That’s why I’ve numerous data about worldwide volleyball and a great community. I spend numerous time the market and gamers,” he says. For instance, he noticed the highly effective diagonal ahead Anette Nemeth for the first time in a pleasant match in opposition to Greece. Today he’s considered one of the greatest performers of SCP.
Thus, Hernández has now assembled a powerful crew that’s continuously evolving and in concord with one another. “The core of the crew has been the identical for 2 years. This is our massive benefit over different groups,” the coach believes.
The surprise crew of the Champions League
The course of appears to be paying off once more this season. They are scorching on the heels of leaders Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, with a cup remaining in opposition to Schwerin on February 26 and an ideal probability for the title with it. But, initially, the newcomers in the European competitors are in all probability the present crew. “Before the season, we stated to ourselves: Our objective ought to be to complete third in the group. We nearly achieved that,” says sports activities director Tony Rieger. Third, they are going to play internationally after the group stage and qualify for the second-tier CEV Cup.
However, with a surprise win in opposition to Istanbul and a earlier win in opposition to Belgrade, there might be extra to return as Italian giants Igor Gorgonzola Novara transfer simply 5 factors away from third-placed Potsdam. When each groups meet and win on Tuesday (19:30), SCP will abruptly style second place and stay in the Champions League. “This time we’ve to serve higher and be constant in block and subject protection,” Rieger analyzed the 1-3 loss in the first recreation.
On the eve of the recreation, however with success, the proven fact that every thing can proceed in the European premier class isn’t an issue for the crew. “It creates strain. We wish to play the recreation like everybody else. Of course, if we win, there’s a probability. But anyway, we’ve to win the final recreation in opposition to Belgrade. So we can’t speak about it but,” stated coach Hernandez.
We are wanting ahead to the remaining of the group stage
In truth, his crew wanted to win each of their remaining two video games in the group stage to remain in competition, hoping for 2 Italian losses. If they have been to lose in opposition to Novara, they’d nonetheless want a win in their remaining recreation in opposition to Crvena Zvezda Belgrade to realize their CEV Cup goal set by sporting director Rieger with out slipping to final place. The stress in the group stage remaining at Potsdam’s MBS Arena on February 8 couldn’t have been increased.
The Potsdam ladies narrowly gained their first match in Serbia in a tie-break in early January. It was their first Champions League win in the membership’s historical past. For coach Hernández, the anticipation for the second leg, which is essential in entrance of the followers, is big and he’s anticipating a full home: “It shall be nice. I believe we’re breaking all attendance information for a really small membership. We know this fixed help, you often see massive groups and it is crucial for us.”
More than 2,000 spectators got here to the sold-out MBS Arena in the Bundesliga recreation in opposition to Schwerin. He ought to be match once more in the essential recreation in opposition to Belgrade. Perhaps many followers will witness SC Potsdam’s subsequent surprise success and progress to the subsequent spherical of the Champions League.
Message: rbb24, 30.01.2023, 21:45