Third match of the year and third competition tackled in 2025 by Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne which, this Thursday January 16 (8 p.m.), meets the Germans from Lüneburg, in Palestra, for the fifth day of the Champions League: a crucial match for the European future of the Cévebistes.
“I’m definitely better! » It was with a big smile that Jospeh Worsley met his teammates this week at training. Affected by a flu virus which left him at home for more than ten days, the “smuggler-captain” is today claiming to regain his place as the “baguette” of the Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne collective. Good news on the day of receiving Lüneburg, this Thursday, January 16, in Palestra, for the American who had several good reasons to join the group for this meeting.
Indeed, beyond the importance of the match for the European future of the Cévebist club during this fifth day of the group stage of the Champions League, the Chaumontais “conductor” will also find his former team , which he left two seasons ago to come to Haute-Marne. And more particularly his brother, Gage, who plays as a libero in the German team. “This is good news,” CVB 52 coach Silvano Prandi does not deny, “but we still have to see how our passer will cope with the pace of the competition over the duration of the match. This remains an unknown. »
Especially since the Chaumont team doesn't really have a choice on this fifth European evening of the season. Without the slightest victory gleaned so far, the Cévebistes absolutely must open their counter this Thursday if they want to extend their stay on the continental scene, whether in the Champions League or the CEV Cup (read the jhm of January 15). “I’m not particularly fixated on this match,” adds the Italian technician. “It’s a meeting like any other, which we want to win like every time, and for which we will have to find the right technical and tactical arguments. »
A speech which differs a little among the players, like Lukas Maase, another former player from Lüneburg, who, inevitably, will also have some reasons to shine on the Taraflex of Palestra, but who above all does not forget not what happened in the first leg (read elsewhere).
Natural motivation
“I think we won't need to be motivated. We want our revenge of the first match. To do this, we will have to remember what we managed to do in the first two sets and not repeat the stupidities committed at the end of the match. »
Faced with the Germans already almost assured of second place in the group (barring Sofia's big exploit against the Polish ogre of Jastrzebski), the Chaumontais will therefore have to be wary of an opponent who will be able to evolve completely liberated. “It’s a fairly young group that is capable of all exploits,” warns the central German cevebist. “It’s up to us not to let them catch fire, to put them under pressure and leave them there this time!” »
“We will face one of the best German teams, who have already won three of their four Champions League group matches this season. Their results speak for themselves,” also warns Silvano Prandi, more pragmatic, but just as wary, when it comes time to play no less than the European future of CVB 52.
Laurent Génin
