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 have impressed particularly at the worldwide stage. Now they’ve a chance in the Champions League that nobody anticipated.
“It was completely loopy,” SC Potsdam coach Guillermo Hernandez recollects of one in all 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 Potsdam’s coach 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 necessary key to success. The Spaniard himself is a little more reserved: “Others who’ve mentioned this should additionally decide. Perhaps what distinguishes me is that I contain the folks round me in the membership as a lot as attainable. In many different golf equipment, the coaches need lots. watch and do not give something away. Everyone is a crucial 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 very good 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 one in all the greatest performers of SCP.
Thus, Hernández has now assembled a robust group that’s always evolving and in concord with one another. “The core of the group has been the similar for 2 years. This is our large benefit over different groups,” the coach believes.
The surprise group of the Champions League
The course of appears to be paying off once more this season. In the Bundesliga, the Potsdam ladies are scorching on the heels of leaders Stuttgart, with the cup closing in opposition to Schwerin on February 26 and an excellent likelihood for the title with it. But, to begin with, the newcomers in the European competitors are in all probability the present group. “Before the season, we mentioned to ourselves: Our purpose needs to be to complete third in the group. We nearly achieved that,” says sports activities director Tony Rieger. In third place, they’ll play at the worldwide stage 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 may very well be extra to come back as Italian giants Igor Gorgonzola Novara transfer simply 5 factors away from third-placed Potsdam. Both groups will face off on Tuesday (19:30) and a victorious SCP will all of a sudden style second place and stay in the Champions League. “This time we have now to serve higher and be constant in block and area protection,” Rieger analyzed the 1-3 loss in the first sport.
On the eve of the sport, however with success, the proven fact that every thing can proceed in the European premier class isn’t an issue for the group. “It creates stress. We wish to play the sport like everybody else. Of course, if we win, there’s a likelihood. But anyway, we have now to win the final sport in opposition to Belgrade. So we cannot speak about it but,” mentioned coach Hernandez.
We are wanting ahead to the closing of the group stage
In truth, his group wanted to win each finals of the group stage, hoping for 2 Italian losses, to remain in the competitors. If the Brandenburgers lose in opposition to Novara, they should win their final sport in opposition to Rother Stern Belgrade to realize the CEV Cup purpose set by sporting director Rieger with out slipping to final place. The pressure in the group stage closing at Potsdam’s MBS Arena on February 8 couldn’t have been increased.
The Potsdam ladies narrowly received 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. The look ahead to the essential second leg in entrance of the house followers is now enormous for coach Hernandez. He hopes the corridor will probably be full: “It will probably be actually good. I believe we’re breaking all attendance information for such a small membership by European requirements. This fixed assist, in any other case, is thought solely to large groups – and it is rather necessary for us.”
More than 2,000 spectators got here to the sold-out MBS Arena in the Bundesliga sport in opposition to Schwerin. He needs to be match once more in the necessary sport 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