20.03.2009
Coaches Measured at Press
Conference
ATHENS,
20 March -- The head coaches of Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo, Silvano Prandi, of
Russia's Lokomotiv-Belogorie Belgorod, Gennady Shipulin, and of Panathinaikos
Athens, Alekos Leonis, were measured in their predictions for the outcome of
their teams matches, during the official Press Conference for the Final Four of
the 2009 Men's CEV Cup.
"No result can be forecast and
anything can happen in tomorrow's matches," said Prandi, who had arrived with
his team in Athens a day earlier. "Nevertheless, and despite the fact that the
level of all teams is very high, we have no fear. We know that Panathinaikos is
a very good team, but we are ready for tomorrow's match."
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo takes
on Panathinaikos Athens in the first of the two semifinals, Saturday afternoon
at 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) in the Indoor Hall of the Athens Olympic
Complex.
"All four teams are top-level
and I believe that they will provide the spectators with a spectacle worthy of
their name," said Leonis. "We want to make the fans of Panathinaikos and all of
Greece proud with our performance in the tournament. Our team has experienced
players, such as Andrija Geric, Bjorn Andrae and Renaud Herpe who can cope with
the pressures of such an event."
"I am happy to back in Athens
again, but we know that these are going to be a difficult matches for us," said
Shipulin. "It is very difficult for me to say which opponent I would prefer in
the final if we qualify. We will speak about this after the semifinals."
The head coach of Unicaja
Almeria was absent from the Press Conference, as the Spanish delegation was
expected in Athens later in the evening.
(Photo: Leonis greets Shipulin at Press Conference in
Athens).
