Police hope to be lucky in fifth final and bank on Guerra & Rivas, while holders Al Rayyan have depth to deal with rivals in their 27th final

Police are figuring in the prestigious Amir Cup Volleyball Championship final after a gap of four years and their coach Damian Arredondo has high hopes of ending his team’s losing streak this time around.

Their rivals in the title clash at the QVA Indoor Hall on Saturday at 9.30 pm are none other than defending champions and 13-time winners Al Rayyan Club, who are also Asia Club Championship bronze medallist.

A press conference was held at the QVA Meeting Hall with Qatar Volleyball Association Assistant Secretary-General Saeed Salem al Jumaan, Video House and Electronic Centre Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Sajid Jassim Mohammed Sulaiman, CEO CV Rappai and QVA Technical Director Hussein Imam Ali being present along with players and officials of the two teams.

The current QVA League winners Police have played four finals before and lost all of them – three to Al Arabi Club and one to Al Rayyan Club, who made the grade for the third year in a row. They recently lost the Qatar Cup final to Al Rayyan as well.

However, the reason of the Argentine coach to be so optimistic is the presence of Brazilian national team opposite Evandro Guerra. The 208-cm tall Sada Cruzeiro spiker can smash the ball at 359 cms. His decorated career includes the Rio Olympic Games gold medal in 2016 – the same year in which he assisted his club to the FIVB World Club Championship and was adjudged the best opposite.

The Brazilian also has the 2018 World Championship silver medal and 2017 FIVB World clubs bronze medal to his name as well.

During the Qatar Cup, Police had fielded Venezuelan national team player Wilner Rivas along side Finland’s Mikko Oivanen but the latter was replaced by Guerra for the Amir Cup. And ever since he has come to Doha, he formed a potent pair with Rivas and they have been instrumental in Police’s victories.

Against last year’s runners-up Al Ahli, Guerra and Rivas collected 16 points each in the first of best of three semi-final playoff series. Then Guerra mustered 22 points to seal a 2-0 victory for his team and took them into the final.

During a press conference ahead of the match, Guerra said he was thrilled to have helped Police get into the final. “I’m really excited that we’re in the final of the Amir Cup. It is an important event and I expect the final to be a tough match.

“We’re playing well and will try as much as possible to help my team become the champions,” added the Brazilian star.

His teammate Rivas, who was a member in the national team which finished runners-up in the 2017 South American Championship, also expressed his determination to lift his team to the title on Saturday. “I’m happy to play the final and Inshallah, we’ll deliver what the team is expecting us to.”

Police coach Arredondo said, “We’re highly motivated for this final. I think it is going to be a high quality match. Al Rayyan are a strong side. We’re different than what we were in the Qatar Cup. We’ve depth and the way we’re playing right now, we’re optimistic to win the title this time.”

Police had twice beaten Al Rayyan during the League but they had not been able to beat them in the Super Cup, the Qatar Cup and the Arab club championship semi-final in Tunis.

Al Rayyan coach Carlos Schwanke, who will soon join the Brazilian senior national team as one of the coaches, said, “Police are much stronger now with the arrival of Evandro, who is the Olympics gold medallist for Brazil. The final is never going to be easy for any side.

“We’ve an experienced side with Italian club Bunge Ravenna’s Kamil Rychlicki and Belgian national team player Sam Deroo (ZAKSA Kedzierzyn-Kozle) as professionals. See I started my coaching in Al Rayyan with winning the Amir Cup. This is our third final and very crucial for us.

“I have a dream of winning the Asia club title. We were very close to accomplishing the dream in Taipei but had to be satisfied with the bronze medal. Next year, we’d try it again and for this, we must win the Amir Cup final on Saturday. We’re determined and our team’s ability to come through difficult times is surely going to help us,” he added.

Talking about the Brazilian team coaching job, Schwanke said, “I’m honoured to get this huge opportunity. I’m sure I’ll learn something there and when I come back to guide Al Rayyan for next season, I’ll use that experience to make them better and stronger.

Explaining about the losses in the League, he said, “We were hit badly by injuries to key players and our professional player could not do as well as we were expecting. But the new pair of pros has given the required momentum and we’ll do our best to retain the title,” Schwanke added.

Teams
Al Rayyan Club: Marko Stevanovic, Mohamed (L), Suliman (L), Mubarak Dahi Waleed (captain) Marcus Costa, Sam Deroo (P), Kamil Rychlicki (P), Ahmed Jamal, Belal Abunabot, Bairama Faye, Milos Stevanovic and Khalid.
Coach: Carlos Schwanke. Assistant coach: Ali Ishaq

Police: Nagi (L), Ziad (L), Neto, Nadir Abubakr, Willner Rivas (P), Evandro Guerra (P), Moses, John Chigbo (captain), Mohamed Ismail, Isma, Osman and Bobby.
Coach: Damiano Arredondo. Assistant coach: Matias Di Fulvio