20.03.2009 | MATCH PREVIEW
Fans on the Spotlight for
Opening Semifinal
ATHENS, 20 March -- The home team of Panathinaikos
Athens and Italy's Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo set the
pace for the Final 4 of the Men's 2009 CEV Cup, as
they clash tomorrow afternoon in the first of two
semifinals at the Indoor Hall of the Athens Olympic
Complex. The head coaches of both teams are cautious
for Saturday's match: "No result can be forecast and
anything can happen in this tournament," said
Silvano Prandi of Cuneo at the official Press
Conference of the competition. "It is a very
difficult match and we need to be patient on the
court," said the Greek coach, Alekos Leonis.
This is the second time Panathinaikos competes in a
CEV Cup Final Four tournament, following the Athens
team's appearance in the 2004 edition in Modena,
Italy, where the Greeks ranked fourth--but has won a
silver and a bronze in the 1980 and 1989
Cup-Winners' Cups. In contrast, the Cuneo team has
six European titles to boast of, having won the
Cup-Winners' Cup in 1997 and 1998, the CEV Cup in
1996 and 2002 and the Supercup in 1996 and 1997.
Panathinaikos holds a negative European Cups record
against Italian teams, having won just 6 of 23
matches, but thousands of fans are expected to turn
out to support their team in the 18,000-capacity
hall and give the home team an edge over their
opponents. "Fans always contribute to making an
event great," said Prandi in reference to the
expected turnout. "But the spectators do not play,"
he added.
Leonis had a different angle on how the fans may
influence the outcome of the game: "We have
experienced players to outweigh the pressures of the
home crowd. I just hope that their support will not
turn into a boomerand against us."
The match is scheduled to start at 17:00 local time
(15:00 GMT). The second semifinal, between Russia's
Lokomotiv-Belogorie Belgorod and Spain's Unicaja
Almeria will follow at 19:30 local (17:30 GMT).
The Final Four concludes Sunday with the bronze
medal match at 14:00 local (12:00 GMT) and the final
at 16:30 (14:30 GMT).
