Wednesday is the night Haasrode Leuven has had marked in the calendar for weeks: the club’s first ever home match in the Champions League. The opponent is one of the true powerhouses in European volleyball: Lube Civitanova. This Italian star‑studded team, featuring the familiar Belgian middle blocker Wout D’heer, will visit the Sportoase for a clash that will be anything but a formality, both for Leuven and for the Italian giants. For D’heer, it is in any case a unique opportunity to return to what is still – for now – his most important home country.

Perugia away, cup dream over. It is New Year’s Eve in Italy when Wout D’heer picks up the phone. Less than 12 hours earlier, Civitanova – last season’s cup winners – were knocked out of the Coppa Italia after a 3–1 defeat in a sizzling Pala Barton. And yet the 24‑year‑old middle blocker sounds remarkably calm. Because in the whirlwind of Italian top‑level volleyball, the next chapter is already waiting: the Champions League, and more specifically the trip to… Haasrode Leuven.

For D’heer, it will be a special journey. After three seasons with Trentino, one year in Taranto and now his first season at Lube, he finally gets to play in his home country again. Not against Maaseik or Roeselare, but against the Belgian newcomer at the highest European level: Haasrode Leuven. In between trips to Perugia, Trento, Milan and soon Warsaw, Sportoase Leuven suddenly appears on the schedule.

While Civitanova is struggling with persistent away‑game issues in the domestic league, the club remains an absolute powerhouse in Europe. A team that takes 7 points out of 9 against the top three, yet drops points against Padova and Monza. A team as well that no longer treats D’heer as a project, but as a fully fledged piece in the puzzle. With starting spots, trust and (crucially) enough rest to develop over the long term.

Amid the hustle and bustle in Civitanova Marche, with training sessions, holidays and a packed match schedule, D’heer makes time for a long conversation about Perugia, life on the Adriatic coast, the stakes in the Champions League and his return to Belgium.

Wout, let’s start with that Coppa Italia elimination against Perugia. How hard did that hit?

D’heer: “You know Perugia are favourites, especially when they play at home. But for us, that’s not just any match. There’s serious rivalry between Perugia and Civitanova, both historically and regionally. From the moment I arrived here, you could feel it: when those two teams meet, there’s something extra in the air.”

“That quarter‑final was typically Italian as well: a gigantic arena, they even added extra stands for the European Championship, everything sold out, a lot of noise. It was really awesome to play there, honestly. But from a sporting perspective, it hurts. Reaching the Final Four is a clear target for every top club. As defending cup winners, we really wanted to defend our title, and then you know: if you have to go and win in Perugia to get your ticket, you have mainly made life difficult for yourself. Earlier in the league we dropped points in Padova and Monza, and then you end up in a scenario like this. The chance of going out becomes very real.”

Was Perugia simply stronger, or is there still a feeling that more was possible?

“Both. In sets 1 and 4 they were just better, we have to acknowledge that. In the third set, we had chances to go 2–1 up, and then a match like that can completely turn. But Perugia hardly gave anything away. Our number of service errors went up mainly at moments when we were already trailing in the fourth set. You still need to make up three or four points and you feel the pressure on the service line increasing. If you add it all up, it makes sense that they deserved to go through. But the disappointment is still there.”

You already mentioned it yourself: Lube’s away‑game complex. How big is that problem?

“Well, if you look at the numbers, it’s obvious. Last season, in the first half of the regular season, we did not win a single away match. This season we are heading towards the same pattern: we actually start well – against top teams like Trento and Verona we play at our level and we take 7 out of 9 against the top three – but then you lose in Padova, Piacenza, Monza… Suddenly you’re only in fifth place. The difference between home and away is simply too big. At home we start very aggressively, with enormous serving pressure. You feel everyone being carried by the crowd. Away, everything is just that little bit less sharp. And in the Superlega you get punished hard for that. If we had simply taken our points against those so‑called smaller teams, we would now be level with Verona in second place. That’s why we have addressed it within the group: we perform well against the top teams, but if we really want to belong in the top four, we have to be more ruthless against the rest.”

Is there panic at the club, or does the belief remain strong?

“There’s no panic. But the way we talked during that weaker spell was definitely more direct, yes. This is Lube. You just have to compete for every trophy. At the same time, after that poor run, we won the matches we needed to win: Montpellier in the Champions League, Cuneo away, Piacenza at home… That releases the pressure again. Everyone knows that losing to Perugia in their arena ‘happens’. What matters now is how we respond. Our first objective is simple: get back into the top four. That’s where we belong, that’s where we need to be. The play‑offs will be long and tough, but if you want to win something in Italy, that’s where it has to start.”

“I’ve really landed on my feet here”

How do you feel personally within this team and club?

“Very good, actually. I really feel like I’ve landed on my feet here. From day one, everything was taken care of down to the smallest detail: apartment, facilities, support staff… You can tell you’re at a top club. That was already the case at Trento, with all due respect to Taranto. Sportingly, I might have had a small dip – I won’t deny that. At the start of the season, I was in the starting six, I played a very good match at home against Trento, for example. After that, my level became a bit less consistent, and I didn’t start a few matches. That eats at you for a bit. But in November, I felt the train starting to roll again: I was better in training, I came on in Milan and was allowed to stay on, I started again against Piacenza, and now also in Perugia. I’m back in a good flow and I feel a lot of confidence from the coach. That’s important.”

What is a conversation with a coach at that level like?

“I’m not the big talker who goes to ask every week how things stand. But after that 3–0 defeat in Piacenza, for instance, where I played the first set and was then substituted, I felt really bad. So we sat down together. Coach Giampaolo Medei’s message was very clear: ‘Don’t drive yourself crazy over this. I still believe in you. We’ll focus on a few technical aspects now and you’ll get the time to calmly get back to your level.’ When you then see that he gives you opportunities again and you feel like you are repaying that trust, it brings peace of mind. You know you’re not just a number here.”

What is life like off the court in Civitanova?

“Very pleasant. It’s not a big metropolis, more of a quiet coastal town. In summer it’s really packed here, a lot of people from inland come to the beach. Now it’s calmer, but still very livable. The weather helps too: in mid‑December it’s still 10 to 12 degrees and sunny… You don’t walk around here in thick winter coats. Another big difference compared to the previous years: my girlfriend has now moved here with me full‑time. That makes a huge difference. In the past, I often spent evenings alone in my apartment, now I actually come home to someone. We’re building our life together here and that gives a lot of mental stability. She is a nurse and is trying to find work here, which is not easy – the bureaucracy is a bit slower than in Belgium, let’s say. But the intention is clear: this isn’t just for one year, I want to stay here for at least two seasons and really grow.”

You also speak Italian fluently. Was that a conscious decision?

“Yes, from my second or third year in Trento already. I think it’s important. At Lube they speak more English than the average Italian, but I always try to speak Italian with whoever can. It helps within the group and it’s just fun to really be able to speak the language. They appreciate it as well. You notice you’re more quickly seen as ‘one of them’.”

How important is the Champions League for Civitanova?

“Very important. For the club, it’s one of the competitions where we really want to win silverware. Our mission is simple: to compete for titles in every competition. In the Champions League, we want to win our pool or at least go through together with Warszawa. You know that all group winners go straight to the quarter‑finals and that the runners‑up, plus the best third‑placed team, play an extra round. But honestly, we’re not thinking that far ahead yet. The only thing that matters to us is to play every match at a high level.”

And the draw?

“We should be honest: it’s tough. Warszawa, Montpellier and now Leuven, who you definitely can’t underestimate. But in Europe, it’s mostly about your own level. In Montpellier we played with our starting line‑up, which says enough. The Champions League is not a competition to rotate heavily. Everyone wants to show themselves on that stage.”

Speaking of Haasrode Leuven: how does the Lube locker room look at VHL?

“It has definitely been a topic of conversation already. ‘Where are we going, what kind of team is it, do you know any players?’ – those questions come naturally. I follow VHL: I check results, sometimes I watch a match. What they have built in recent years is impressive. They fully deserved to become vice‑champions. I watched the last final against Roeselare via the livestream and they clearly belong at the top in Belgium and now also in the Champions League. In Leuven, I expect a team that will play with total freedom. It’s their very first home Champions League match, in a beautiful arena, in front of their own fans. No one expects them to beat us. They can just go for it. That’s dangerous for a favourite. We absolutely have to take them seriously, because there are no teams in the Champions League by accident. And I really hope the Sportoase will be packed, because this is a fantastic moment for Belgian volleyball.”

For you personally, it will also be something special, with family and friends in the stands.

“Absolutely. These are rare moments. My dad is already busy with it. With Trento, I once played in Menen, and last year I played with the Red Dragons against Azerbaijan, but those are exceptions. Now it’s the Champions League, in Leuven, against a Belgian team. That makes it special. We’ll travel on Tuesday from Bologna: three hours by bus, a flight, hotel in Leuven… Back on Thursday, then league action again against Padova on Sunday. It’s busy, but that’s part of the job. I mainly hope I can take a moment to let it all sink in: playing at the highest level, in a packed Belgian hall, with my family there. That’s what you do it for as a player.”

When you look at your schedule – league, cup, Champions League – it sometimes seems inhuman. Do you experience it that way?

“Yes and no. The schedule is brutal, especially in January and February. We have five Champions League matches, plus at least one or two midweek games in the Italian league. At the end of January we play in Milan (six hours by bus), then we go to Warsaw, and in between we have Trento and Verona… But on the other hand, in a ‘normal’ week we also train very hard. You build up to that, physically and mentally. This is top‑level volleyball. Your body gets used to that kind of workload, to some extent. It’s mainly the travel that makes it tough. But as long as you stay healthy, it’s just fantastic to be able to play so many big matches.”

Small dilemmas with a big smile

Pizza or pasta – for the rest of your life?

“Pizza. Always pizza. Which one? I like to be surprised: with salami, or one with mortadella, pistachio and mozzarella… That Bologna‑style pizza is really a thing here.”

Instagram or TikTok?

“Instagram. TikTok is not for me. I even try to stay away from Instagram a bit sometimes, so I’m not stuck in my phone all the time.”

Long, easy‑going training session or short, all‑out practice?

“It depends on the moment. I don’t mind long training sessions if we are really working on technique. But the day before a match, it can be short and intense. Then you want sharpness, not endless 6‑on‑6 drills.”

Sun or shade? Italy or Belgium?

(laughs) “I’ll go for Italy there. Five years here… the quality of life is very high. But at the end of the season, I’m always looking forward to going home as well. It has actually become a bit of a second home.”

Scudetto or Champions League, if you had to choose?

“I’ve been lucky enough to win both once with Trento. But if I really have to choose: the scudetto. Winning the Italian league, a packed arena, celebrating with your fans… that’s so special. For the club, the Champions League may be more prestigious and financially more important, but that feeling of becoming champions – that’s something unique.”

Text: Kenny Hennens
Photos: Wout D’heer