Last week's top news actually came from Switzerland, where Robin De Bont - active last year as coach at the Topsportschool in Vilvoorde - became head coach of the new national performance centre in Zurich. A promotion all round for the likeable Fleming, who clearly impressed in his first year with the Swiss federation. The federation now wanted to restructure a number of things, including financially, and so Robin was chosen to replace Svetlana Ilic, a coach who used to be active with the Belgian national (women's) teams, including as assistant coach with the Yellow Tigers. As a player, she played for Asterix, Charleroi and Tongeren.

But still some striking news from a former pupil from the Topsportschool. In Croatia, 20-year-old midfielder Simon Luka Vlahovic (11 points, 86%, 5 blocks) was the top scorer for Mladost Castela, which won 3-0 against Split, thanks in part to him.

Sam Deroo also made another appearance in Russia: 12 points (53%, 3 blocks) for Zenit Kazan, which won 3-0 over Kuzbass.
In Italy, only Ferre Reggers (11 points, 50%) made his mark: 3-0 win with Milan against Verona. Wout D'Heer (2 points) at Trentino (3-0 win against Modena) and Mathijs Desmet (Padua's 0-3 loss against Piacenza) had to content themselves with substitutions.

Igor Grobelna also did not get to play in Poland, but his side Pr. Warsaw did win three times 25-20 against Gdansk.

Also no Liam McCluskey in the topper in the Netherlands, where Orion again won 2-3 at Lycurgus after a 2-1 deficit and 10-15 in the tiebreak.

But good work by Dries Hoeyberghs in Denmark, who won the topper with Nordenskov at Gentofte 2-3 and becomes stronger leader there on two match days before the end of the regular league.

Loss in Turkey (3-1) for Tursad (François Lecat) at Alanya.

In France, we get Poitiers - Montpellier and Nantes - Tours as semi-finals (on 5 March) for the French Cup.

In Greece, PAOK Saloniki played at Kifissia on Monday night. Bram van den Dries (24 points, 65%, 2 aces, 2 blocks) and his mates converted a 2-0 deficit into tiebreak win.

Italy: three Belgians in Final Four, but cup for Conegliano

It is rare that three Belgian players on three different teams play the Final Four in Italy. This weekend it came to that, but none of them won the cup. That honour went to Conegliano with Isabelle Haak 22p and Joanna Wolosz as mvp, who won the final from Milan (Laura Heyrman - 1 point, Egonu - 35 points at 42%) in front of 6747 viewers in Trieste. In the semi-finals, Conegliano won 3-0 over Chieri (Kaja Grobelna - 11 points, 25%, 1 block) and Milan made it 3-2 over Scandicci (Britt Herbots - 12 points, 44%).

In the title series in Germany, Nathalie Lemmens (16 points, 72%, 3 blocks) continues to confirm her brilliant season at Dresdner, which held off Suhl 3-2. Also 2-3 wins at the teams with Belgians between places 6 and 9: in Wiesbaden - Aachen (Celine Van Gestel - 9 points, 22%) and Münster - Vilsbiburg (Pauline Martin - 27 points, 51%, 3 blocks).

In Romania, Alba Blaj (Britt Rampelberg) remains 2nd in the standings, 1 point off Rapid Bucharest, after a 1-3 win at Constanta. Freya Aelbrecht was then allowed to perform heavily at Tirgu Mures: 19 points, 60%, 4 blocks, but that was not enough against Targoviste: 1-3. Ilka Van de Vyver (1 ace and 2 blocks) had to watch Din. Bucharest triumphed in the tiebreak (15-12).

Vital Heynen was too weak for leader Fenerbahce (0-3) in Turkey with Nilufer.
In Hungary, Bekerscsabai (Dominika Strumilo) won the first play-off match against Ujpest 3-0.

Loss in Greece for Markopoulos (Lara Nagels - 4 points, 100%): 0-3 against leaders Olympiakos.

In France, Mulhouse (Silke Van Avermaet) reached the semi-finals of the cup with Chamalières as opponent on 05/03. In the other semi-final: Nantes - Tours. Finals on 30-31 March in Paris. In league 3-0 win for Nancy against Terville (Elisa Van Sas - 2 points, 25%).