"The Champions League draw result has been favorable for Azerbaijan’s men’s volleyball team Azerrail," the team's head coach Boris Grebennikov told Report news agency, Idman.biz reports.
The coach stated that their first qualifying round opponents, Serbian side Radnicki, are a strong team: “We drew a good, strong opponent. They have become Serbian champions for the first time in a long while, which shows the strength and motivation of the team. I'm familiar with the Serbian league and know that the teams there feature young and promising players. What’s required of us is to go out and fight until the end. I believe we are capable of eliminating this team and moving on to the next round. Our advantage is that we’ve kept last season’s roster, so there are no issues with player chemistry. Moreover, we’ve added a new setter to the team. As far as I know, Radnicki haven’t made many changes either, just two new transfers. This will make for a very interesting matchup. Naturally, I’m analyzing their play and trying to identify both their strengths and weaknesses.”
Grebennikov emphasized that they will begin preparations in August: “We will start preparations at the end of August. We'll have two months to get ready, which I believe is sufficient time. Overall, I consider the result of the draw to be quite favorable.”
Azerrail, the Azerbaijani champions, will face Serbian club Radnicki in the first qualifying round of the Champions League. The first leg will take place between October 21–23, with the return match scheduled for a week later.
Idman.biz
