ROSMALEN/CHARTRES/SABADELL - The upcoming weekend is not only dedicated to the Supercup battle in Antwerp between Torbjörn Blomdahl and Dani Sánchez. The best European players in balk line and one cushion also come to the tables in the preliminary rounds of the Coupe d'Europe. Twelve teams of three compete in three countries and locations for five places in the finale from 22 to 24 of April in Prague, for which the title holder Vitkov Prague is seeded automatically.
The Dutch team of Etikon, five-time champion, is one of the favorites in the line-up with Henri Tilleman, Patrick Niessen and Jean Paul de Bruijn. The team is playing a home match in De Hazelaar in Rosmalen. Main competitor is Soissons with Careaux, Soumagne and Remond. Oissel has Arnim Kahofer on the players list, Merklinde should play with Markus Dömer.
The teams of Coral Colon (Spain), Ronchin (France), Edentic Ecully (France) and Bochum (Germany) come tot he start in Sabadell, Spain. The German team is the favorite to win with players like Thomas Blondeel, Ludger Havlik and Thomas Nockemann.
The group of Chartres (France) consists of the home team Chartres itself with Xavier Grétillat and French Gérimont and Justice. The Spanish Eldense, Vitkov Prague Andernos complete this group. Major players for Vitkov Baca and Kozak, the Andernos main players are Gérassimopoulos and Baudoin.
The group compositions:
Sabadell:
- Coral Colon: Espinasa - Gasso - Mas - Moya - Gonzales - Jose
- Ronchin: Florent - Djoubri - Villiers - Dessaint - Reynaert
- Edentic Ecully: Vendittelli - Guénet - Castaner - Abouaf - Goutaloy
- Bochum: Blondeel - Havlik - Nockemann - Van Etten - Berger - Kimmeskamp
Chartres:
- Chartres: Grétillat - Gérimont - Justice - Girard - Pariot - Kassoul
- Eldense: Albert - Gomez - Garcia - Tuset - Lacarcel - Gil
- Vitkov Prague: A.Baca - Kozak - Ziogas - Hosek
- Andernos: Baudoin - Gérassimopoulos - Picart - Arnaud - Connesson - Camilleri
Rosmalen:
- Etikon: de Bruijn - Jong - van der Zalm - Tilleman - Niessen
- Oissel: Kahofer - Petit - Legros - Martory
- Soissons: Careaux - Soumagne - Remond - Dupont - Boudoux - J.Petit
- Merklinde: Pöter - Dömer - Egbers - Klein.
The matches are played on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6th of March. Kozoom will broadcast the group of Chartres.