2018/19 European Champions League Women Round 1 to be held from Friday to Sunday October 12-14th
The 2018/19 European Champions League Women will be opened this Friday (October 12th 14:00) in Zagreb Croatia by the clash between reigning champion Dr. CASL and 2013 runner-up Budaörsi 2i Sport Club.
Croatian side composed impressive roster even better than previous one who beat Bursa in the 2017/18 finals (6-2 aggregate score). Club`s President Martin-Tino ČASL explains:
“As always and everything that I am doing I strive to be the best if possible. The new season we kept whole team except ZHOU who started to work in China and can not be on our disposal. Anyway we have a 3 new well known stars: HU Melek former EU Champion and player who played against us this May in finals of Champions League LIU Gaoyang last Youth Olympic gold medalist who returned to world stage in great style this August and the biggest legend and icon of women table tennis NI Xia Lian. She won her first 2 gold medals at the World Championship in 1983 and two weeks ago she won bronze medal at European Championship. Unbelievable player and person! Beside her players performances she will be a great support on the bench regarding her huge experience and knowledge. This Friday we will start in ECLW with Hungarian team and try to continue a series of successes this week: 4 matches in 7 days all derbies in Croatian league CES and ECLW.”
Portugal`s FU Yu one of the best ECLW players last year (9-1 individual score) is looking forward playing again for Croatian champion Dr. CASL:
“I am very glad that we all continue together and we will try to defend our title. We are an excellent team good friends and very happy to be in Zagreb in our club. This season there are many stronger teams and our job will be even harder. The first match we play with Hungarian team and of course we hope the best. Last season I played against them 4 single and 2 doubles matches so I am very well aware what to expect.”
Coach Tino Sven ČASL is determined to bring one more season to remember in the Croatian city of Zagreb:
“We are entering this season as the first favorite and actual champions therefore we have high expectations to confirm this status. Budaorsi is team with which we played last season twice in Central European Super League (CES). It is a well known TT club with great history and players. There will be no surprises we know each other very well. At home matches we have a remarkable results and we hope to continue it.”
Two former ECLW champions will participate in the new season. Four-time winner TTC Berlin Eastside hosts double ETTU Cup champion UCAM Cartagena in Group B while two-time ECLW winner Linz AG Froschberg faces one of two newcomers in the upcoming season Sporting Clube de Portugal (Group C). No. 2 seed KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg 2016 and 2017 ECLW runner-up welcomes LZ Linz Froschberg newcomer in Group D. Recently crowned 2018 ITTF-European champion LI Qian will give her best to bring first ever ECLW crown to Poland.
Linz AG Froschberg President Gunther RENNER stated:
“We are happy to be in top condition after the challenging but voctorious weeks of Sofia POLCANOVA. Also great to see that Minnie Soo is long term in LINZ to become a real member of the LINZ AG FROSCHBERG Family. Linda BERGSTROM is also better than ever in ranking and also at the peak level of her career. We are quite relaxed but positively tensed before the game against sporting club de portugal this is a clash of great players and a open game with hopefully LInz as the victorious competitor.”
Budaorsi`s Timea BAKA shared impressions from that Hungarian club:
„It is a great pleasure for us that we get the chance to play in the Champions League again. Our team has only Hungarian players we consider it very important and we are very proud of it.”
2018/19 ECLW Round 1
GROUP A: Dr. Časl – SH-ITB Budaörsi 2i Sport Club (Oct 12 14:00 CET)
GROUP B: TTC Berlin Eastside – UCAM Cartagena TM (Oct 12 19:00 CET)
GROUP C: Linz AG Froschberg – Sporting Clube de Portugal (Oct 14 15:00 CET)
GROUP D: KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg – LZ Linz Froschberg (Oct 13 13:00 CET)
