LLEIDA/PAIPORTA - The Spanish town of Lleida is the place where eight teams compete fort he Spanish team title this weekend from Thursday 12 to Sunday, May 15th. The titleholder, Coral Colon, did not succeed to qualify for the final round with a weakened line-up. The favorite is Paiporta with Javier Palazón, Dion Nelin, Sergio Jimenez and Antonio Ortiz. The 28-year-old Javier Palazón lives fifty meters from the billiard room in Paiporta and has been a member since he was eight years old. He not only played for Paiporta this year, he also made his debut in France in the Rouen team. ,,I would like to play more matches in Germany and possibly in other foreign leagues.''
With Dani Sánchez, Javier Palazón, Corro and Penalva the team of Paiporta took the Spanish championship in 2007. It was the only title for the club so far. ,,I played three for another team when Paiporta stopped and I took the Spanish title with Caseta Nova.''
,,But Paiporta is my home'', says Palazón, who took three junior world titles in his young years and is now the captain of the team with the Dane Dion Nelin, Sergio Jimenez and Antonio Ortiz. ,,We have a strong team, but I'm not convinced that we're the favourite. The main rivals are Valencia with Martin Horn and Dave Christiani, Palma with Michael Nilsson and Carlos Crespo and Kalima Rivas with Rubén Legazpi and three strong Spaniards.''
He also mentioned Alcantarilla with Eddy Leppens and Peter Ceulemans, but Leppens almost certainly will not play in Spain because he performs in the Belgian cup this weekend. Also Dick Jaspers, who is leading the players list of CB Anteneo, will not show up. Jaspers: ,,I will not play in Spain this year.''
Coral Colon was last year's champion with Dani Sánchez, Nick Polychronopoulos, Jose Maria Mas and Carlos Crespo. That team has been eliminated in the qualifications due to lack of sponsors.
Javier Palazón leads the favourite for the title, Paiporta
The teams that have qualified and the group format for this weekend:
Group A:
Asoc. B Palma wit Michael Nilsson, Carlos Crespo, Adrián Legazpi, Antonio Torres
Alcantarilla with Peter Ceulemans, Raúl Hernández, José Guirrae, Angel Garcia
CB Anteneo Merc with Jérémy Bury, Enrique Pelalvez, Jesus Gallen
Casino de Cartagena with David Martinez, David Zapata, Erick Tellez, Jose Carrasco
Group B:
Paiporta with Javier Palazón, Dion Nelin, Sergio Jimenez, Antonio Ortiz
Kalima Rivas with Rubén Legazpi, Rubén Fernandez, Jose Martinez, Rafael Garrida, Valentin Andaluz
Valencia with Martin Horn, Dave Christiani, Arando Moreno, Jose Pascual
CB Mataró with Jordi Garriga, Antonio Montes, Raul Cuenca, Esteve Mata.
The tournament starts this Friday at 17.30, the semi-finals are Sunday at 9.30 and 11.30, the finals at 15.30.