Kazan, Russia, January 16, 2009. Russian Zenit KAZAN won the fifth consecutive match of the main phase Men’s CEV Indesit European Champions’ League and gauranteed the first place in group B. On Wednesday the champion of Russia won match on its site against Unicaja (3:0: 25-15, 25-20, 29-27). In the first leg Kazan team didn’t let its rival to win a single set.

Nikolay Apalikov, the best central of the Russian championship at the moment is not mentioned in Kazan team's entry form. He has just had a chance to have rest. The match with Unicaja ALMERIA gives an opportunity to the coaching staff of Zenit KAZAN to experiment with the line-up of the team. Zenit KAZAN has already sewed up the first place in Pool B even in case of defeat in two remaining matches.

Soonias, one of Unicaja ALMERIA leaders, is playing quite insipidly. Besides, Spanish team has got tons of troubles with ball reception. Unicaja ALMERIA players can't cope with heavy services of Panteleymonenko, which actually became two aces, and then they are teased by Bogomolov's services (21:14). The Russian champion has won the beginning set by a long shot.

Spanish players are trying their best but they are inferior to Kazan team at all points. In the middle of the set the head coach of Zenit KAZAN starts to substitute players. Stanley makes ace and takes a seat on a bench. 13:7 is on the scoreboard. Firstly, Panteleymonenko blocks Soonias and then locks up Denmark with the help of his partners (20:11).

At the beginning of the third set unfavorable for Kazan fans score appeared on the scoreboard – 1:6. In the last matches Zenit KAZAN players proved that they can win back in any situations. Cheremisin and Abrosimov's aces together with two mistakes made by Delgado minimized the gap in score (8:9). Bogomolov makes ace and the score on the board is equal – 13:13. At the end of the set Howatson, American setter of Unicaja ALMERIA plays exclusively through Soonias. Canadian players attack with varied success and Spanish team didn't manage to realize two match balls. Cheremisin restored a balance twice (27:27). Troublesome ending of the third set Spanish team got nerves: Howatson sent the ball to the net, Delgado shot out.

Maxim Panteleymonenko, Zenit KAZAN's spiker, became the most effective player of the match and scored 13 points. Bogdan Olteanu became the most effective player of Unicaja ALMERIA, he got 12 points.

– We have already provided ourselves with good results and decided to test the bench players, - said the head coach of Zenit KAZAN, Vladimir Alekno, – I can say that our youths will go to the match in Sofia.

- We fought to the finish, but Zenit KAZAN is too strong and it's still beyond our power to struggle with them as an equal, - said Carlos Carreno, head coach of Unicaja ALMERIA.`