At the end of the group phase in the Volleyball Champions League, the BR Volleys face a high hurdle. On Wednesday and Thursday (both 5.30 p.m. CET) the German champions will play twice at Zenit St. Petersburg.
“Two games there – that’s a tough place. The strongest opponent so far this season is waiting for us,” said outside attacker Ruben Schott (27).
The volleys got the maximum number of points from the first four games. “We have created a good basis for progressing,” hopes coach Cedric Enard (45). Second place is therefore certain. From the five groups of four, only the three best runners-up advance.
Favorites Zenit St. Petersburg are already three points behind after losing 3-0 to Novi Sad with a weak substitute.
Norromand: “I don’t have a stomach ache”
The Volleys are not afraid of the political situation caused by the impending war between Russia and Ukraine: “We’ll go there peacefully and return peacefully,” said Volleys boss Kaweh Niroomand (68) to the BZ And further: “I don’t have a stomach ache that I have to send my team to Russia.”
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Volleys star Ruben Schott: “Fear is not an issue in the team, neither in relation to Corona nor the political situation. The political situation does not play a role in my mind when traveling to St. Petersburg.”
Actually, the BR Volleys would have had home advantage against St. Petersburg on January 12th. The game had to be canceled due to numerous corona cases in Berlin and is now taking place as a return game within 24 hours in St. Petersburg.