On July 16, representatives from 20 top international teams gathered in Luxembourg – the home of the European Volleyball Federation – to witness the draw for the world's largest club competition: the CEV Champions League Volley. In the men's category, Knack Roeselare and Greenyard Maaseik will defend the Belgian colors. They were both placed in the third pot. The Limburgers could not meet their former coach Fulvio Bertini, as his new club – Saint-Nazaire – was in the same pot.

Men

It’s not Maaseik, but Roeselare who will reunite with Ferre Reggers. A bonus for the fans. The Belgian main attacker performed exceptionally well last year with Allianz Milano and this summer also shone with the Red Dragons. Roeselare's group also includes the Polish cup winners Warta Zawiercie and a winner from the third round.

Maaseik, with their new coach Guido Görtzen and their new club president Jos Franssen, will face Simon Plaskie, as the former Knack player, who blossomed last year, secured a top transfer to Recycling Berlin where Joël Banks – also an old acquaintance – is currently the sports director. A top fixture. Project Warszawa returns to the Champions League after a four-year break and Ach Volley Ljubljana is the champion from Slovenia. This summer, the Slovenians – under the leadership of Gheorghe Cretu, former coach of Asse-Lennik – showed their progress by reaching the semi-finals in the Volleyball Nations League. Yes, against Poland, where we also find some national team players in Warsaw. The Limburgers have been warned.

In the CEV Cup, Lindemans Aalst will meet the winners of the match between the Bosnians of Odzak and the men of Pafos from Cyprus. The Cypriots, however, have recruited the Bulgarian Yordanov. The over-40-year-old main attacker made a splash in the Greek league ten years ago. Volley Haasrode-Leuven will also have to be patient to know their opponent. The loser of the duel between Las Palmas (with Angel Trinidad, ex-Roeselare) and Benfica from Lisbon with Wohlfartstätter, (ex-Antwerp) will be their next opponent. If the team of new coach Hendrik Tuerlinckx advances a round further, Kamnik from Slovenia will be waiting for the Leuven players. Finally, Decospan VT Menen will also participate in the Challenge Cup and will have to face the winner of Reshetylivka from Ukraine and Klaksvik from the Faroe Islands in the 1/16 finals.

Women

In the women's category, only three Belgian teams are on the participant list. Asterix Avo Beveren will play the preliminary round of the Champions League against the strong Tent Obrenovac from Serbia. Can the national champion surprise again and advance to the main draw like last year? If they win, they will end up in a pool where Eczacıbaşı Istanbul – with their star player Boskovic – will be the most prominent opponent. The French champions of Levallois from Paris are also in this group. And of course, it could be a happy reunion with Nova Marring, who was the absolute top player for the Beveren team a few years ago and now scores points for Schwerin. If Asterix Avo does not pass Obrenovac, they will end up in the CEV Cup and meet Tchalou Volley. A repeat of last year's Belgian title final.

We can also mention that in the fourth round of the Champions League, Scandicci (with Britt Herbots) and Stuttgart (with Charlotte Krenicky and Pauline Martin) will meet in pool E. And ex-Yellow Tiger Laura Heyrman is in pool C with Vero Volley Milano.
The two Walloon teams, Tchalou (CEV Cup) – as already mentioned against Beveren or Obrenovac – and Charleroi (Challenge Cup) – against the winner of the Israeli Hapoel Kfar Saba and Neapolis Nicosia from Cyprus – are the other two teams that will represent Belgium on the European stage.

VDK Gent withdrew at the very last moment from the CEV competition. After long deliberations and with regret, the Ghent club announced it via a press release. But apparently, it was not financially feasible. They do not want to endanger the overall operation of the East Flemish association by embarking on an unpredictable financial adventure.

At Darta Bevo Roeselare, the new women's coach Bram Van den Hove was 'not amused'. He was fervently hoping that Roeselare – ambitious like their male colleagues from Knack – could take over that vacant European ticket. But there was not enough time to make new arrangements with sponsors for extra financial support. Bram Van den Hove received a promise from the board that next season participation in a European competition – whatever it may be – will be integrated into the budget. "A shame for national volleyball," fumed the new coach of the Roeselare women. "The late withdrawal of Ghent is particularly regrettable, as it means one less Belgian participant in Europe. Hopefully, we won't be penalized by the CEV and this won't have any consequences for our clubs in the future."