On Wednesday, Belgian volleyball will once again have a European final to look forward to. Not with Roeselare or Maaseik, but with Lindemans Aalst, who will play the first European final in the club’s history in the CEV Challenge Cup. On the other side of the net: Allianz Milano, a strong Italian side with two Belgians in the squad. There is Seppe Rotty, back after a long rehab and possibly in line for some back‑court action, but above all there is Ferre Reggers, the opposite from Pellenberg, as the main offensive weapon and crowd‑puller.

Nice detail: for Reggers this will already be the third year in a row that he faces a Belgian club in Europe: Menen in 2023, Roeselare in 2025 and now Aalst in 2026.

It is Friday night, somewhere in Milan. Outside, the air is mild, spring is in the air. Inside, Ferre Reggers is standing at the stove. Pasta, as always. Home‑made, as always. Penne arrabbiata, a bit richer than usual. A small ritual, a moment of control in a season that has been anything but predictable. One day later Verona awaits, the big‑budget machine from the north, for the fourth clash in the Italian play‑off quarterfinals. And after that: Aalst. Plenty to talk about: his very first European final, a season full of injuries at Milano, his obsession with winning and a Lindemans team he considers far more dangerous than some in Italy might think.

Ferre, come stai?
Ferre Reggers: “Excellent, thanks. Physically I feel strong; the matches against Verona are tough and the rhythm is brutal. But a match every three days? I actually like that. On top of that, it is 18 degrees here every day, the sun is shining and the most important weeks of the season are coming. So yes, I’m really up for it.”

On Wednesday you will play your first European final. How does that feel?
“Unbelievable. That was a real target. We said it clearly from the very start of the season: semi‑final of the Italian Cup, semi‑final of the play‑offs and win that European cup. In theory, there are only three countries that win this kind of trophy every year: Italy, Poland and maybe Turkey. When we saw that both the Polish and Turkish sides were on our side of the bracket, we knew there was a real opportunity, but that we still had to get past Norwid Częstochowa and Altekma Izmir. Then you have to dare to say it out loud.”

Your regular season in Italy, finishing seventh, was below expectations.
“Absolutely. Milano’s aim is to finish in the top four, along with teams like Lube, Modena or Piacenza. But we almost never played with a full squad. Seppe Rotty was never completely fit, Otsuka had issues, our setter got injured, Recine had Achilles tendon problems, and so on. It has been a season of bad luck, with injuries in matches or training. That’s why it has been very up‑and‑down. »

Do you feel the team is now growing at the right moment?
“Yes and no. We’ve had really tough weeks, training with eight players and bringing in youth guys to fill up the roster. It’s mentally hard to give everything all the time when you feel the team cannot really grow collectively. But now we’re in the decisive phase. In the big matches, against Polish or Turkish teams, we were always there. Maybe it’s not our best season, but if we win this cup, we will still have done what we had to do.”

You have grown into the clear star of Milano. How do you keep yourself fresh in such a demanding schedule?
“By listening very closely to my body. Touch wood, I have never had an injury in my life. That’s partly luck, but also because I know my body very well. I can feel what I need. We just played two five‑setters in a row, so I went to the coach and told him I needed a day of rest. Then I go to the pool to recover. It’s not that I don’t feel like training; it’s that I know what it takes to be at my best at the right moment. Our coach, Roberto Piazza, understands that. He knows how I work. In the end, he gave most of the regular starters an extra day off. Piazza is top‑class, our relationship is excellent.”

Milano already won this cup in 2021. Is that history still alive in the club?
“The club knows what it means to win this cup; it’s the only trophy in the cabinet. But no one in the current squad was there. Recine has played important matches, Caneschi too, and Cachopa has big international experience with Brazil. Apart from that we’re a young team. That’s also nice in a way: very few of us know what it feels like to win silverware with Milano.”

First Verona in the play‑offs, then Aalst in Europe. Is it hard to combine both?
“That’s top‑level sport. Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday… you just stay in match rhythm. I actually enjoy that. We don’t train very much, basically only the day before a match. That’s the beauty of the play‑offs: you really live from match to match. And honestly? That suits me. I sleep well, eat well, can sleep in a bit, the weather is great. All of that helps.”

Let’s talk about Aalst. What kind of team do you see there?
“I’ve seen them play a few times and I still know some of their players from before, like Simon Luka Vlahovic and also Mathis Verwimp, who was with me in the fifth and sixth year at the Top Sports School. To me, Aalst are a real ‘flow’ team. When they get into rhythm and things go their way, they can be very dangerous. They are not in the final by coincidence. Their path wasn’t exactly easy either, with teams like PAOK and Bratislava, even if I think they were on the slightly easier side of the bracket. But I know Belgian teams: they never give up. They will play free and go all‑out.”

It’s a team that was built from the start with a strong focus on serving pressure.
“OK, then it should be fun. But we’re used to that, especially after the last matches against the cannons of Verona.”

Where do you see the keys for Milano?
“For us, it’s crucial to push hard right from the start. If we dictate the match and put them under pressure, they won’t be able to do much. If we let them get into their flow, it becomes much more complicated. We have to approach this final with full focus. Not 95 percent, but 100.”

Have you heard what Aalst are saying about you?
“I heard an interview with Frank Depestele. He said that if our serve works, we can put huge pressure on opponents. That’s true. But at the same time, they know where they can hurt us. We often receive with four players, and that fourth receiver can become a target. With heavy float serves or jump floats they can definitely try something there. But of course we know that as well, so we’re prepared for it. »

Do you expect two very different matches, one in Belgium and one in Italy?
“Not necessarily. For me, the important thing is to play a good first leg. If you can win 1–3 or 0–3 away, you put yourself in a very strong position. But it’s a final: anything can happen. That’s why we have to stick to our own game.”

How would you describe Milano’s style?
“Patient. That’s a big difference with Verona, where it’s often just bombs: serve as hard as possible, hit as hard as possible. We’re not the most physical or imposing team, but we are strong in the organisational part. When the game plan is clear and everyone executes it, we have a very good chance to win. We have to take risks, but calculated ones.”

So not thinking: ‘we’re the better team, we’ll just kill every first ball’?
“Exactly. That’s the one thing we must not do. We don’t have the tools to simply blow a team away. We need to do our thing, stay patient and keep building. That’s when we’re at our best.”

Does Aalst feel different to you than an Italian opponent?
“Not really in terms of match preparation. But for me personally it’s special. My dad is organising a bus again, I had to keep seventeen tickets aside, friends from the old days are coming, even guys from the Lizards. That’s really fun. It’s just a pity that we fly back the next morning and I can’t spend a night at home.”

Third year in a row against a Belgian team in Europe. Does it still feel special?
“Yes, it does. Menen in 2023, Roeselare in 2025, Aalst now. I’ve almost had them all, except Maaseik. It remains special because you know the guys and you know how people in Belgium look at this kind of match.”

How is Seppe Rotty doing?
“He’s been training fully for just over a month now. You can really see the progress. He’s hitting twice as hard as ten days ago. I’m really happy about that, because his energy is exactly what this team needs. I don’t know if he’ll already be in the front row in Aalst, but I’m sure he will come in for reception. The coach wants to give him that; he has worked incredibly hard with double physio sessions for six months.”

Speaking of Belgians: Basil Dermaux is coming to Milano, your ideal successor, while you head to Perugia. What can you say about that?
“Not a lot. As long as the season is ongoing, I’m not really supposed to talk about it. It’s kind of an unwritten rule. But look: Basil will do well. He has everything: power and character. And if he gets the game understanding you pick up in Italy, this could be a huge step for him. In Belgium, you’re often taught to hit high and hard. In Italy, you really learn the game. I’m incredibly grateful to Piazza for that.”

Your name in Perugia keeps popping up everywhere. How do you deal with that?
“By basically ignoring it. For the supporters it’s different, of course: they don’t want to see me leave for a rival. For them I’m the emperor, their hero, and they tell me I’ll never be that in Perugia. But as long as the season is alive, I don’t look at it. I want to win. That’s all. Not necessarily specifically this Challenge Cup, but winning in general. One day, the Champions League has to be on my CV. I crave that. Even if it’s the least important match ever: I want to win. I want to beat the best team, but also the worst. To put it bluntly: I want to destroy everyone. I still feel that way.”

Will you prepare differently now that it’s your first final?
“No. I just want to play at my level and win. I do the same thing before every match: nap, shower, food. I almost always eat the same: five times a week at lunchtime, white pasta with olive oil, cheese and chicken. It’s performance‑driven; I feel good with it. The evening before a match I eat a bit richer, more sauce, more cheese. I just want my body to get what it needs. And then: perform.”

Finally: what can fans expect from this final?
“Two teams that will give absolutely everything. Aalst will not give up, I’m sure of that. And we really want to win this cup. It won’t be a final where one side simply steamrolls the other. It will come down to details. And to who grabs his moment.”

And you?
(laughs) “I want to finish every single ball that comes my way.”

Text: Kenny Hennens
Photo: Powervolley Milano