BR Volleys to face Galatasaray and Panathinaikos in Champions League

German volleyball champions BR Volleys have learned their opponents for the upcoming Champions League group stage. The draw, held in Luxembourg, placed the Berlin-based team in a challenging yet attractive group alongside Galatasaray Istanbul from Turkey and Panathinaikos Athens from Greece. A fourth opponent will emerge from the qualification rounds. BR Volleys managing director Kaweh Niroomand expressed optimism, noting that the draw avoided traditionally dominant teams from Italy and Poland. "For a long time, we have avoided Italians and Poles in the group, and we are looking forward to completely new opponents," Niroomand told dpa. He anticipates a balanced group where "no clear favorite can be identified." The team anticipates "great challenges and big names of European club sports." This marks BR Volleys' 15th consecutive Champions League appearance, with their best result being third place in 2015. Last season, the club was eliminated in the group stage. The team hopes to make a stronger impact in the competition under the guidance of their new coach, Andrea Anastasi, a decorated Italian coach who has achieved success at both national and club levels. The group stage is set to begin in early December, with BR Volleys scheduled to play their first match at home.