Bulgaria's champion Levski Sofia started their campaign for the Champions League group stage with a defeat. The "Blues" lost away to Spanish champion Guaguas (Las Palmas) 0:3 (17:25, 23:25, 18:25) in the first match of the third qualifying round. The match was played in front of nearly 5000 spectators at "Teresitas Arena".
Prior to this, Nikolay Zhelyazkov's team eliminated Croatian Mursa Osijek, while Guaguas overcame Greek champion Olympiacos.
Match Chronology – Abbreviated Game-by-Game Overview
First Game
Levski started evenly, but after a series of powerful hits by Osmany Juantorena and Wallison, the hosts took the initiative. The Spanish block worked steadily, and the lead gradually increased. Game point came at 24:14 and the set concluded 25:17.
Second Game
Las Palmas took the lead again, but the "Blues" stabilized their reception and narrowed the gap to 14:15. Dobromir Dimitrov also entered the game. Towards the end, Gordan Lyutskanov and the Bulgarian block brought the intrigue back to 22:22, but two consecutive hits by Nicolás Bruno tipped the scales – 25:23.
Third Game
The Spaniards led 8:5 and increased the pressure. A series of aces and a well-organized block gave them a comfortable lead. During this time, Dobromir Dimitrov re-entered the game for the hosts. Towards the end, Levski's reserve setter Petko Petkov scored two consecutive points on his serve and contributed to a third, while Skrimov attacked for 17:24. After that, the receiver made an ace, but faulted on the next serve and Guaguas closed the game 25:18 and won the match 3:0.
Team Statistics from the Guaguas – Levski Match
| Indicator | Guaguas Las Palmas | Levski Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Points Won | 74 | 57 |
| Successful Attacks | 42 | 32 |
| Block | 8 | 5 |
| Aces | 7 | 6 |
| Points from Opponent's Errors | 17 | 14 |
Guaguas dominated in key elements – better attack efficiency and a superior block, which gave them control throughout the match. Levski was even on serve, but weaker offensive performance did not allow a comeback in any game.
Guaguas Las Palmas:
Nicolas Bruno – 12 points
Wallison Souza – 12 points
Martin Ramos – 11 points
Osmany Juantorena – 9 points
Levski Sofia:
Todor Skrimov – 10 points
Gordan Lyutskanov – 8 points
Julian Weizig – 7 points
Svetoslav Gotsev – 6 points
The rematch is on November 26 at 8:00 PM in the 'Levski Sofia' hall, where the team from the capital will try to win 3:0 or 3:1 to play a 'golden set' and secure a place in Group C of the Champions League – where Perugia, Berlin Recycling Volleys, and the Czech Lions (Prague) are.
