After eleven days without competition, the Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne offers itself a delicate recovery against the reigning French champion, Saint-Nazaire, this Saturday, November 2 (8 p.m.): the opportunity to take stock of the two French representatives in the upcoming Champions League.
It must have been a “shock” at the start of the season when the 2024/2025 calendar was revealed, but the difficulties encountered jointly by Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne and the reigning French champion, Saint-Nazaire, in this start of the competition, have somewhat devalued the confrontation of this Saturday, November 2, in Palestra. Currently stuck in the “lower part” of the ranking, the two teams did not hide their ambitions before the start of the current exercise. But with groups upset during the last summer and a championship of thirteen which has already earned an exemption for the two clubs, Chaumontais and Nazairiens have asked for a little patience from their supporters, in order to get in working order.
This is therefore a great opportunity for the two French representatives in the next Champions League to take stock, just before the prestigious European competition begins. With these continental meetings which will soon follow one another, the pace of matches will also accelerate, somewhat reducing the room for maneuver, outside of official meetings, to help the teams progress on a daily basis. “The weekly program will necessarily change”confirms Czech coach Silvano Prandi, “but not our playing systems. The group will grow in size with the multiplication of matches. After all, a team is made to play! »
Similar desires
A pragmatic way of looking at things, while the Haut-Marne group benefited from eleven days without competition, after its last outing in Montpellier (3-0 defeat) and its exemption during the sixth day of last weekend. The return to the field is inevitably awaited by the players and the staff who do not hide their impatience to resume the course of the championship. “I have absolutely no doubt about the potential of this team”adds the Italian coach. “Even if she still has to improve. Some players definitely need a little more time to get to their optimal condition. » Facing Saint-Nazaire and in front of its supporters, the CVB 52 must take points: to raise the bar in the ranking, to increase its “confidence capital” and gain good momentum before this second cycle which will lead the Chaumontais to the reunion with the Champions League. In short, exactly the same arguments that the Nazaireans could list before kick-off. A Loire-Atlantique team which has changed somewhat since last year, including on the bench, with the arrival of Italian coach Fulvio Bertini. But for Silvano Prandi, faithful to his principles, there is no point in giving disproportionate importance to the Nazairian opposition. “I know it can be a big battle, but what interests me is how we are going to approach this match. I hope we will be in sufficient condition to fight: that's all that matters to me! »
Moreover, the cevébist technician does not give essential credit to the current hierarchy, drawn up after seven days. “I hear here and there observers commenting on the level of the championship, better or worse than previously. Personally, I have a hard time getting a clear idea after a month of competition. I'm going to wait a few more days before deciding. The results are only the consequences of a clash between two teams at a given moment: it is difficult to know if the current regularity of some will be the truth of tomorrow. »
In the meantime, with a full group, the Chaumontais hope to be there for this recovery, in a Palestra which will have many opportunities to vibrate between now and Christmas, and which hopes to take advantage of them.
Laurent Génin
Le Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne
1. Worsley (cap.), 2. Durand (lib.), 3. Holdaway, 4. Henno, 5. Lefaivre, 7. shower, 8. Diop, 9. Toledo, 10. Lietzke, 15. Polak, 16. Will do, 17. Pasteur, 19. Closter (lib.).
Coach : Silvano Prandi.
A new status for the Nazairians
Surprise French champion last season, but well deserved in view of the superb performances achieved in the “play-off” against the favorites Nantes (quarter), Tourquennois (half) and Tourangeaux (final), Saint-Nazaire suddenly changed status. Forgotten the “outsider” label: the Nazairiens now have the role of favorites to maintain and a historic first participation to come in the Champions League.
A modified group. As is often the case in the French championship, the great successes of certain teams do not leave foreign clubs indifferent, whose sirens easily attract players from Marmara Spikeligue. Saint-Nazaire obviously did not escape this summer context after its title of champion of France and had to resolve to let its American “passenger/pointy” diagonal (Issacson and Ensing) leave towards more lucrative horizons on the side of the Poland. The Croatian Zeljkovic and the Canadian Schnitzer flew to Germany and Italy, when the libero Ludovic Duée turned to other, more spiritual voices, putting an end to his career. Without forgetting the Brazilian “magicine” Robinho on the bench who also left his place. Departures which required a fairly massive reconstruction, which could also explain the trial and error at the start of the season.
A first missed trophy. A new face for the Nazaire group which also missed the opportunity to offer itself a second consecutive trophy, at the start of the season. Indeed, faced with Montpellier finalists of the French Cup and called to replace the Nantes winners who had disappeared in the meantime, the French champion, in Nantes in a room at La Trocardière although committed to his cause, did not manage to draw its success in the Supercup, dominated in the tie-break.
A trend that is reversing. A first “tie-break” lost in 2024/2025 which could have brought back some bad memories for the Nazairians. Last season, Ludovic Duée's teammates lost their ten matches played in the deciding set during the regular season, before winning their decisive match in the quarter-finals of the play-off against Nantes in the tie. -break”. This time, the Loire-Atlantique club preferred to tame the curse as quickly as possible. After a first day lost in five sets in Cannes, the Nazairiens quickly recovered and won their last two meetings in the “deciding set”: in front of Narbonne and in Toulouse.
Distrust for the Chaumontais. After six days of the championship, it turns out that Saint-Nazaire won all its matches against the teams in the second half of the table (Le Plessis-Robinson, Narbonne and Toulouse), and lost those against the teams at the top of the table (Poitiers and Cannes).
CVB 52, currently tenth in the national hierarchy, therefore has an interest in being wary of Nazaire's success against the poorly ranked.
L. G.
An epic trip to Saint-Nazaire
According to our colleagues at West Francethe return home of the Saint-Nazaire players, the day after their victory (2-3) in Toulouse, was, to say the least, eventful. With a plane scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. but ultimately canceled, the Nazairians had to wait more than five hours in the airport hall before finding an alternative solution, as no other flight was available. Finally, it was by bus that Fulvio Bertini's players reached Loire-Atlantique: a journey of more than seven hours which brought them back to their destination on Sunday, at three in the morning. A misadventure to avoid in a few days, when, like Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne, the Champions League will accelerate the schedule of the Nazairiens, and recovery will be essential within this hellish pace to maintain.
Saint-Nazaire volleyball Atlantic
President : François Hamon.
Coach : Fulvio Bertini.
Effective
1. Jordan Ewert (27 years old, 1.94 m) reception/attack. (American)
2. Titouan Hallé (26 years old, 1.96 m) reception/attack.
3. Nicolas Burel (33 years old, 2 m) central
4. Helder Spencer (32 years, 2 m) central (Cape Verde)
5. Luc Ven der Ent (26 years, 2.08 m) (Dutch)
6. Henri Léon (21 years old, 2.04 m) sharp
7. Sulyvan Frédureau (18 years old, 1.95 m) central
8. Romain Valefuaniu (21 ans, 1,95 m) récep./attaq.
9. Florian Poisson (19 ans, 1,98 m) récep./attaq.
10. Liam Varier (2 years old, 1.87 m) passer
12. Lourenço Martins (27 years old, 1.95 m) reception/attack. (Portuguese)
13. Fedor Ivanov (24 years old, 1.93 m) passer (Finnish)
14. Romain Devèze (31 years old, 1.86 m) libero
15. Audric Taramini (22 ans, 2 m) central
17. Jordan Canham (24 years old, 1.97 m) sharp (Canadian)
Departures
Quinn Isaacson (Czestochowa, POL)
Kyle Ensing (Zawiercie, POL)
Robin Henry
Ivan Zeljkovic (Friedrichshafen, ALL)
Adam Khellaoui
Jordan Schnitzer (Milan, ITA)
Ludovic Duée (stoppage)
Hugo Mortier
Arrivals
Luuc Ven der Elt (Düren, All)
Sulkyvan Frédureau (res. eq.)
Fedor Ivanov (Giesen, ALL)
Romain Devèze (Sète, MSL)
Jordan Canham (Arkas Spor, TUR)
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