The first match of the II Playoff Phase of the Champions’ League between PGE Skra Bełchatów and Zenit Kazań will be one of the most important sports events of the forthcoming week. The teams will fight for promotion to the Final Four tournament, the top four men’s volleyball clubs of the continent. Sport rivalry of the National Teams of Poland and Russia are usually accompanied by additional emotions.
Composition of Zenit and PGE Skra does not miss the best known surnames. Some Russian media consider Mariusz Wlazły the greatest star of the club being the Champion of Poland. On the website of the club we may read that the leader of the club spends a lot of time on charity. Player of the middle block position of the club being the Champion of Russia and the Super League leader, Aleksander Abrosimow consider fans as the most dangerous weapon of Poles.
During the I playoff round Zenit eliminated ACH Volley Bled without any problems. – In my opinion there were three factors that resulted in such an easy victory. We have spent all January in Kazań. Therefore, we had planty of time for the trainings and preparations to the playoff round. Technique of Slovenia’s team was precisely decoded, besides we were in a great mood – said Abrosimow.
For Aleksander Abrosimow there is no doubt that PGE Skra is definitely stronger opponent. – Polish team has a very powerful weapon – excellent fans, who know how to support their players, in a phenomenal way. When after two lost sets fans from Slovenia would become totally quiet, Polish fans would support their favorites till the last ball – says middle position player from the club from Kazań.
I regret we do not have such fans in Kazań. –Why is that so? It is hard to explain. The entrance is for free, the club organizes transportation and often distributes gifts – says Aleksander Abrosimow and adds with a smile that maybe those fans are waiting for the time, when the club will start to pay for coming to the hall.
Paweł Abrosimow emphasizes the team will do its best to gather the biggest number of spectators.
–I am surprised that we broadcast Champions’ League in private TV station. I think that Russian Volleyball Federation should do everything in order to transmit the volleyball sports events in the common channels available - said Abrosimow. He also has no opinion about the “gold set”. In his opinion the author’s intention is generally to make the rivalry more attractive. In the old system, when a team won the first match 3:0, it could use reserve players in the second one. Now, one has to fight till the very end.
Aleksander Abrosimow does not consider the season tough. – We have already been playing sixth season in such circumstances. Having the opportunity, I would like to congratulate the executives of my club, that we fly by charter connections. It makes our life much easier - he admitted. Zenit and PGE Skra met two times on the international arena. On the 29th of March 2008, players from Kazań (playing under the name Dynamo TatTransGaz then) defeated the Champion of Poland, during the Final Four semifinal in Łódź. Wiktor Sidielnikow’s team led 2:0. Skra aligned the result. In the tie-break it was already 15:12 for Russia. Siergiej Tietiuchin 17 and Mariusz Wlazły 24 gained most of the points. On the 7th of November 2009, at the semifinal of the Club World Championships, PGE Skra won 3:1. The most effective players were Tietiuchin 24 and Bartosz Kurek 28.
