We lived to see the beautiful times of Polish club volleyball. A year ago, Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn Koźle won in an unusual style, beating all the biggest ones. This season it is probably even better: ZAKSA, and they are going as they should and are getting closer and closer to ensuring Poland a place in the final of the tournament for the second time in a row. In addition, Developres Bella Dolina Rzeszów historically beat Vakifbank Istanbul and stands a chance to throw the club world champion out of the Champions League. And all of this is not really a dream!
Jastrzębski presented field artistry. Lube played in three sets
On Tuesday, however, Jastrzębski Węgiel did something unbelievable. Maybe already conceivable after last season against Cucine Lube Civitanova presented itself, but still great. The Polish team, however, defeated the Italian giant in three sets, which even Nikola Grbic’s team did not manage to do last season. What a spanking it was!
Andrea Gardini’s players organized a dance for one team only in Italy. They didn’t even invite Lube to the dance floor, even though it was their home game. They won in sets to 22, 23 and 19! The joy of the Polish team after the game is a moment that volleyball fans in Italy will not forget for a long time, or even never. The Jastrzębie team knocked them out of their heads so early that none of the Lube players had even had time to think about it. Although it was the Italians who were the favorite before the match, the Jastrzębie players played more than great – it was artistry on the field. At times they hit so hard that the ball only bounced randomly from other players of the rival. They didn’t know what was happening.
Macyra blocked Simon. This is how Jastrzębski gained control of the Italian giant
In the first game, the main event – as is often the case in matches against Lube – was the block on Robertland Simon. The 206-centimeter center from Kuba did not break through the block set by Jakub Macyra (202 cm tall) in the second action of the match, who did not even play at the PlusLiga level a year ago.
For most of the set, Jastrzębski had a considerable, sometimes even 4-5-point advantage. It got scary in the end when he started to lose her and Lube equalized at 19:19. Ultimately, it was the Poles who returned to control the set and the meeting. They won it to 22. Someone will say it is a slight difference. With any difference other than a set won by advantage until recently, it would have been an ennoblement for the Polish club almost higher than the PlusLiga medal. And Jastrzębski Węgiel gained control this way, which he did not lose until the end of the match.
The names in Lube did not matter. Torn to shreds
Lube started the second set better, but could not achieve more than two points. At 12:11, the players from Jastrzębie-Zdrój took the lead, which they did not give up until the end of the game, although the Italians tried not to give up until the end. Eventually, Gardini’s team beat them 25:23.
The intelligent playing of Tomasz Fornal, hits by Trevor Clevenot, and especially Jan Hadrava, or raises in defense of Jakub Popiwczak, as well as this genius mind of general Benjamin Toniutti – all this meant that names such as the aforementioned Simon, Ivan Zaitsev, Ricardo Lucarelli, and Marlon Yant Herrera did not matter. Jastrzębski Węgiel smashed Lube to shreds. Especially the last game won until 19.
Blengini’s faces symbolized the defeat of Lube. This is how you lose your job in Italy
The most telling picture of the entire match? Proofs of the broadcast producer from the game to the Lube coach, Gianlorenzo Blengini. His face in the last set did not change at all. He had no idea what to do to defeat Jastrzębski. He was close to collapse, he barely had the strength to look at the field. At one of the time-outs, he looked like he was telling his players that he had had enough of them.
After such matches in Italy, you lose your job. Because the CEOs are very impatient there and often cannot withstand such disasters. It is not surprising, however: Lube is losing in a league where Sir Safety Perugia has no competition, did not win the Italian Cup and is now against the wall in the Champions League.
This is how virtually nobody won with the great Lube in Europe
Anyway: the last time Lube lost a match 0: 3 in the semi-finals of the Champions League season 2015/2016, when Trentino entered the final. And the victory of Jastrzębski Węgiel can only be compared to the win in February 2015, when the Polish team also beat Italians in three sets, including one to just 13 points.
That, however, was before the club’s greatest success era – five consecutive Italian championship medals, three scudetto medals and a 2019 Champions League win. Let’s put it straight: nobody has won with the Lube-giant in such an impressive style as Jastrzębski Coal. Let this be the greatest testimony of his present strength.
Polish fight for the final? Just a step away. “A Polish match would be something great”
– Failure? There is no such scenario yet. Drawing is tricky, and it is known that a falling out of Lube would be explainable. But we don’t want to make excuses. We will try to play at such a level that even if we do not enter the top four, we will not bring shame. In the Champions League you play to outplay such giants. This is the only way to fight for the main trophy -. Therefore, the president of Jastrzębski Węgiel must be congratulated.
And wish the Polish semi-finals, because if Jastrzębski Węgiel enters the next phase of the tournament after throwing Lube, it will play against Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The one entered the fight for the final without a game with Dynamo Moscow – after a forfeit granted due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
– I think it was good, because thanks to this there is a chance that two Polish teams will be in the semi-finals, and this also gives us a guaranteed final. However, we do not look that far into the future and focus on Lube. Although it is known: a Polish match in the semi-finals would be something great – Gorol told us. Now such a scenario – how beautiful for a Polish fan – is really close.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
