Olympiacos SFP (men's volleyball) explained

Clubname:Olympiacos
Nickname:Thrylos (The Legend)
Erythrolefkoi (The Red-Whites)
Founded:1926
Ground:Melina Merkouri Indoor Hall
Capacity:1,800
Chairman:Michalis Kountouris
Manager:Andrea Gardini
League:A1 Greek Volleyleague
CEV Champions League
CEV Cup
Season:2023–24
Position:1st (Champion)
Website:https://www.olympiacossfp.gr/
Titles:2 CEV Cups
1 CEV Challenge Cup
32 Greek Volleyleague Championships
17 Greek Cups
6 Greek League Cups
2 Greek Super Cups
Colour1:White
Colour2:Red
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Rightarm1:E41B17
Shorts1:E41B17
Pattern B2:_whitesleevelinesandsides
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Olympiacos Men's Volleyball (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Ολυμπιακός, in Greek, Modern (1453-); pronounced as /olimbiaˈkos/), commonly referred to as Olympiacos, Olympiacos Piraeus or with its full name as Olympiacos SFP, is the men's professional volleyball department of the major Greek multi-sport club, Olympiacos SFP, based in Piraeus, Attica. The department was founded in 1926 and their home ground is the Melina Merkouri Indoor Hall in Agios Ioannis Rentis, Piraeus.

Olympiacos is the most successful club in Greek volleyball history, having won 32 Greek Volley League titles, 17 Cups, 6 League Cups, all national records, and 2 Super Cups.[1] They are the only volleyball club in Greece to have won a European title, having actually won 3 European titles, 2 CEV Cups in 1996 and 2005 and 1 CEV Challenge Cup in 2023. Olympiacos is a traditional powerhouse in European volleyball, having played in 8 European finals in all three main CEV competitions: 2 times runners-up in the CEV Champions League in 1992 and 2002 (with 7 CEV Champions League final four participations), 2 times winners (1996, 2005) and 2 times runners-up (1997, 1998) in the CEV Cup, one time winners (2023) and one time runners-up (2018) in the CEV Challenge Cup.

Domestically, Olympiacos holds the record for the most consecutive championships won, with eight in a row (1987–1994), and for winning seven championships undefeated (1968, 1974, 1979, 1981, 1988, 1991, 2018). Internationally, their most successful period was between 1992 and 2005, when they came to be included amongst the top volleyball powers in Europe. During this period, apart from their two European trophies, they progressed to eleven final fours in total, seven of them consecutive between 1992 and 1998 (the first four in the CEV Champions League and the next three in the CEV Cup Winners' Cup); they also won a fourth place in the CEV Super Cup and a third in the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. Olympiacos came to European prominence again by playing in the 2017–18 CEV Challenge Cup final; at the same time, the women's department won their respective 2017–18 CEV Women's Challenge Cup. In this way, Olympiacos became the first volleyball club that had men and women playing simultaneously in European finals, and one of the very few to have won European trophies in both departments. In 2023, they won the CEV Challenge Cup, beating rivals Panathinaikos in the semi-finals and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the final.

Given the fact that Olympiacos is the most popular sports club in Greece,[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] the men's volleyball department also receives great home support. Apart from some top Greek players such as Marios Giourdas, Giorgos Ntrakovits, Sakis Moustakidis, Vasilis Kournetas, Antonis Tsakiropoulos, Kostas Christofidelis, Mitar Tzourits, Olympiacos has also attracted over the years some foreign world-class players including Ivan Miljković, Lorenzo Bernardi, Jeff Stork, Marcos Milinkovic, Bengt Gustafsson, Raimonds Vilde, Vasa Mijić, Tom Hoff, Goran Vujević, Henk-Jan Held, Osvaldo Hernández, Fabian Drzyzga and Dragan Travica.

Honours

Domestic competitions

European competitions

Worldwide competitions

International record

SeasonAchievementNotes
CEV Champions League
1981–82Final Four4th place in a group with Robe di Kappa Torino, CSKA Moscow and Dinamo București
1991–92Finalwon 3–0 against CSKA Moscow in the semi-final, lost 0–3 to il Messaggero Ravenna in the final
1992–93Final Four3rd place. Lost 1–3 to Maxicono Parma in the semi-final, won 3–0 against Maes Pils Zellik in the 3rd place game
1993–94Final Four4th place. Lost 0–3 to Maxicono Parma in the semi-final, lost 0–3 to Maes Pils Zellik in the 3rd place game
1994–95Final Four3rd place. Lost 1–3 to Edilcuoghi Ravenna in the semi-final, won 3–2 against Maes Pils Zellik in the 3rd place game
2000–01Final Four4th place. Lost 0–3 to Sisley Treviso in the semi-final, lost 2–3 to Ford B. Gesu Roma in the 3rd place game
2001–02Finalwon 3–1 against Mostostal in the semi-final, lost 1–3 to Lube Banca Macerata in the final
2009–10Playoff 65th place. Eliminated by Dynamo Moscow, 1–3 loss in Moscow, 1–3 loss in Piraeus
CEV Cup Winners Cup / CEV Top Teams Cup / CEV Cup
1995–96Winnerswon 3–1 against Alcom Capelle in the semi-final, won 3–2 against Bayer Wuppertal in the final
1996–97Finalwon 3–1 against Berlin in the semi-final, lost 0–3 to Alpitour Traco Cuneo in the final
1997–98Finalwon 3–0 against Castêlo da Maia in the semi-final, lost 0–3 to Alpitour Traco Cuneo in the final
2004–05Winnerswon 3–0 against Dukla Liberec in the semi-final, won 3–0 against Ortec Nesselande Rotterdam in the final
2018–19Semi-finalsEliminated by Diatec Trentino, 0–3 loss in Piraeus, 1–3 loss in Trento
FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship
1992Final Four3rd place. Lost 0–3 to Misura Milano in the semi-final, won 3–0 against il Messaggero Ravenna in the 3rd place game
CEV European Super Cup
1996Final Four4th place. Lost 1–3 to Dachau in the semi-final, lost 0–3 against Daytona Modena in the 3rd place game
CEV Challenge Cup
2017–18Finaldefeated by Bunge Ravenna, 1–3 loss in Ravenna, 1–3 loss in Piraeus
2022–23Winnerswon 5–4 against Panathinaikos in the semi-finals, won 6–0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the finals

The road to 3 CEV European titles

The road to 2 CEV Cups victories

1996 CEV Cup Winners' Cup victory

RoundTeamHome Away 
Group Stage
(Group B)
VK Dukla Liberec1–3
Desimpel Torhout3–0
Lokomotyv Kharkiv0–3
Legia Warsaw3–0
Belogorie Belgorod3–0
Bayer Wuppertal3–0
Eczacıbaşı Istanbul0–3
Semifinal Alcom Capelle3–1
Final Bayer Wuppertal3–2

2005 CEV Top Teams Cup victory

RoundTeamHome Away 
Qualification Round
(Group 7)
Rabotnicki Skopje3–0
Pafiakos Pafos3–0
Brčko Brčko3–0
Group Stage
(Group A)
Šoštanj Topolšica3–00–3
Concordia Näfels3–00–3
Fenerbahçe Istanbul3–01–3
Quarterfinal Ziraat Bankası Ankara3–00–3
Semifinal VK Dukla Liberec3–0
Final Ortec Nesselande Rotterdam3–0

The road to the CEV Challenge Cup victory

2023 CEV Challenge Cup victory

RoundTeamHome Away 
Round of 32 Spartak Komárno3–01–3
Round of 16 Burgas3–03–2
Quarterfinals Steaua Bucuresti3–12–3
Semifinals Panathinaikos Athens1–31–4 (Golden Set)
Finals Maccabi Tel Aviv3–00–3

Supporters

Olympiacos fans are renowned for their passionate and fervent support to the team, with the atmosphere at home matches regarded as extremely intense and intimidating to such an extent that is rarely seen in volleyball matches. In the decade of the 1900s and the early 2000s, Olympiacos was among the top powers in European volleyball (7 consecutive European Final Four participations, four in the CEV Champions League –1992, 1993, 1994, 1995– and three in the CEV Cup Winners' Cup –1996, 1997, 1998–, winners of the 1996 CEV Cup Winners' Cup, twice Runners-up of the CEV Champions League in 1992 and 2002, twice Runners-up of the CEV Cup Winners' Cup in 1997 and 1998, third place in the world in the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship in 1992 and fourth place in the 1996 CEV European Super Cup) and one of the best supported volleyball teams in Europe.[14]

In the 1992 CEV Champions League Final Four in Piraeus, an estimated 20,000 Olympiacos fans crowded the Peace and Friendship Stadium for the semi-final against CSKA Moscow and 20,000 more for the final against il Messaggero Ravenna.[15] [16] [17] Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly, Hall of Famer and three times Olympic gold medalist, a key member of il Messaggero Ravenna at the time, talked about the 1992 CEV Champions League Final in a 2018 interview: "That particular CEV Champions League Final Four in Piraeus was really a very special experience. Even now as we speak, the first thing that comes to my mind was the unbelievable atmposhere that we all lived in that volleyball game in Athens 26 years ago. In that day I cherished the Greek supporters and the passion of Olympiacos fans for volleyball. It was something unique."[18]

In the 1996 CEV Cup Winners' Cup Final Four which was held again in Piraeus and the Peace and Friendship Stadium, an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 Olympiacos fans filed into SEF and created the most intense atmosphere, pushing the team to their first ever European title against the German side Bayer Wuppertal, after a hard-fought 3–2 win.[19] [20] After the victory, hundreds of ecstatic Olympiacos fans stormed the court and celebrated the title with the players.[21]

Olympiacos hosted the Final Four of the CEV Top Teams Cup in 2005 and Olympiacos supporters relived some of the 1990s moments. 15,000 fans packed the Peace and Friendship Stadium and provided once again an electric atmosphere, helping Olympiacos to win their second European title, after a 3–0 win against the Dutch side Ortec Nesselande Rotterdam in the final.[22] [23]

In 2018 Peace and Friendship Stadium lived once again some of its timeless glory, as an estimated 12,000 Olympiacos fans created an extraordinary atmosphere in the final of the 2017–18 CEV Challenge Cup against Bunge Ravenna.[24] Ravenna's Austrian star Paul Buchegger talked about the atmosphere in the post-game interview: "The atmosphere, the fans were really great. It was a "red hell", when I entered the court I had goose bumps. I have never played in front of such a big crowd."[25]

On 15 March 2023, 13,000 Olympiacos fans created an amazing atmosphere in a fully packed Peace and Frienship Stadium, as they helped Olympiacos win the 2022–23 CEV Challenge Cup, their third European title, after beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 3–0 in the second leg of the finals.[26]

Notable players

Notable coaches

Season 2023–2024 squad

Shirt NoNationalityPlayer Birth DateHeightPosition
1 23 May 20042.01 Middle blocker
2 23 April 19862.02 Middle blocker
3 12 November 19851.85 Libero
4 4 October 19951.94 Setter
5 14 November 19952.00 Opposite
6 17 March 19951.98 Setter
8 2 January 19862.15 Middle blocker
10 5 May 19932.03 Οutside Hitter
11 24 February 20012.00 Οutside Hitter
12 18 March 19892.02 Opposite
14 Dragan Travica (c) 28 August 19862.00 Setter
15 16 February 19991.77 Libero
17 18 June 19931.99 Outside hitter
21 25 April 19892.11 Middle blocker
23 27 December 19851.98 Οutside Hitter

Technical and managerial staff

NameJob
Andrea GardiniHead Coach
Antonis VourderisAssistant Coach

Captains

Historical performance in Volleyleague

Stats

SeasonPositionSets
1967–68bgcolor= gold1st6–018–0
1968–69bgcolor= gold1st13–140–12
1969–70bgcolor= silver2nd20–2
1970–714th16–6
1971–72bgcolor= silver2nd22–2
1972–73bgcolor= silver2nd
1973–74bgcolor= gold1st24–0
1974–753rd
1975–76bgcolor= gold1st14–1
1976–77bgcolor= silver2nd13–2
1977–78bgcolor= gold1st21–1
1978–79bgcolor= gold1st22–0
1979–80bgcolor= gold1st17–152–13
1980–81bgcolor= gold1st22–066–13
1981–82bgcolor= silver2nd20–263–11
SeasonPositionSets
1982–83bgcolor= gold1st21–165–16
1983–84bgcolor= silver2nd26–279–18
1984–85bgcolor= silver2nd25–380–14
1985–86bgcolor= silver2nd20–263–14
1986–87bgcolor= gold1st21–164–11
1987–88bgcolor= gold1st22–066–9
1988–89bgcolor= gold1st19–159–6
1989–90bgcolor= gold1st21–163–6
1990–91bgcolor= gold1st20–060–9
1991–92bgcolor= gold1st21–1
1992–93bgcolor= gold1st20–162–12
1993–94bgcolor= gold1st21–165–11
1994–95bgcolor= silver2nd
1995–964th18–861–36
1996–973rd19–665–27
SeasonPositionSets
1997–98bgcolor= gold1st26–584–25
1998–99bgcolor= gold1st27–382–19
1999–00bgcolor= gold1st27–382–21
2000–01bgcolor= gold1st27–284–14
2001–02bgcolor= silver2nd25–683–30
2002–03bgcolor= gold1st25–278–24
2003–04bgcolor= silver2nd23–576–27
2004–05bgcolor= silver2nd20–1172–37
2005–063rd20–964–37
2006–073rd22–672–31
2007–083rd22–972–39
2008–09bgcolor= gold1st26–582–28
2009–10bgcolor= gold1st25–682–34
2010–11bgcolor= gold1st21–671–33
2011–125th14–1156–38
SeasonPositionSets
2012–13bgcolor= gold1st26–378–23
2013–14bgcolor= gold1st23–780–38
2014–15bgcolor= silver2nd22–775–40
2015–163rd21–570–24
2016–17bgcolor= silver2nd28–489–24
2017–18bgcolor= gold1st30−090−12
2018–19bgcolor= gold1st27−379−24
2019–20bgcolor= silver2nd16−554−21
2020–21bgcolor= gold1st16−454−19
2021–22bgcolor= silver2nd18−650–26
2022–23bgcolor= gold1st22−370–23
2023–24bgcolor= gold1st20−563–28

Positions

Kit manufacturer

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Olympiacos team.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Βόλεϊ Ανδρών – Σύντομο Ιστορικό Τμήματος . . el . 7 December 2018.
  2. Web site: Concentration of people supporting the most popular club (page 41), Greece: Olympiacos 26%. 2014-04-20 . 2014-04-17 . UEFA sixth club licensing benchmarking report on European club football . . PDF .
  3. Web site: http://www.sport24.gr/newspapers/Sport/goal_news/goal_news.2747025.html . el:Βαμμένα Κόκκινα....Μυαλά - Απίστευτη η υποστήριξη του Ολυμπιακού εντός ελληνικών συνόρων καθώς οι "Ερυθρόλευκοι" βρίσκονται στην ενδέκατη θέση σε ολόκληρη την Ευρώπη από πλευράς δημοφιλίας ενός συλλόγου στη χώρα του. 2014-04-19. "GOAL" newspaper. el.
  4. http://www.sport24.gr/football/ellada/article344370.ece, Περισσότερους οπαδούς ο Ολυμπιακός. Σε πρόσφατη έρευνα σχετικά με τους περισσότερους οπαδούς, ο ΟΣΦΠ είναι 1ος, 30/06/2009 SPORT24, 15ετής έρευνα του Παντελή Κυπριανού (in Greek)
  5. Web site: SPORT 24 - Στέλιος Μαρκάκης » Πόσοι είναι οι οπαδοί Ολυμπιακού, Παναθηναϊκού, ΑΕΚ, ΠΑΟΚ, Αρη και… πόσο τους αρέσουν οι ομάδες τους εφέτος . 2013-07-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130727181650/http://markakis.yooblog.gr/2008/03/14/259/ . 2013-07-27 ., το 36% (2.016.000) δηλώνουν Ολυμπιακοί, το 30% (1.680.000) Παναθηναϊκοί, Έρευνα της Focus, Οκτώβριος 2005 –Φεβρουάριος 2006, SPORT24, επίσημο blog του sport24 και του αθλητικού συντάκτη Στέλιου Μαρκάκη (in Greek)
  6. http://www.tanea.gr/news/greece/article/4524106/?iid=2, Έλαβον: ΟΣΦΠ 39%, ΠΑΟ 30%, ΑΕΚ 15%, ΠΑΟΚ 11%, Άρης 5%. Ύστερα από 15ετή έρευνα δύο πανεπιστημιακοί στο βιβλίο τους καταγράφουν την ιστορία και γεωγραφία του ελληνικού ποδοσφαίρου, 30/06/2009, ΤΑ ΝΕΑ – tanea.gr (in Greek)
  7. http://www.sportdog.gr/article/111831/oi-pio-polloi-einai-oi-olubiakoi, Πιο πολλοί είναι οι Ολυμπιακοί!, 26/06/2012 sportdog από έρευνα του ΣΚΑΙ (in Greek)
  8. http://www.contra.gr/Soccer/Europe/230473.html, Περισσότερους φιλάθλους η Μπαρτσελόνα, πρώτη ελληνική ομάδα ο Ολυμπιακός (in Greek)
  9. https://www.volleyleague.gr/index.php/cup/xrisi-biblos/xrisi-biblos
  10. http://www.sport24.gr/Sports/Volley/o-olympiakos-twn-apanthsewn-kai-twn-leptomereiwn.4501619.html 2017 League Cup final
  11. Web site: 2001/02 European Champions League. cev.eu.
  12. Web site: 1991/92 European Champions League. cev.eu.
  13. Web site: Olympiacos PIRAEUS are the CEV Challenge Cup champions . 16 March 2023 .
  14. Web site: http://www.olympiacos.org/article/2255/san-semera-1996-giortase-ta-genethlia-tou-me-kupello-kupellouhon. el:Σαν σήμερα το 1996 γιόρτασε τα γενέθλιά του με το Κύπελλο Κυπελλούχων. Olympiacos official website. el. 12 July 2017.
  15. Web site: http://www.sportdog.gr/article/156923/o-olympiakos-ston-teliko-toy-protathlitrion. el:O Oλυμπιακός στον τελικό του Πρωταθλητριών – Το ΣΕΦ είναι τίγκα από 20,000 φίλους των Πειραιωτών. Οι Μοσχοβίτες είναι σούπερ φαβορί, αλλά θα λιώσουν με 15-8, 15-7 και 15-4.. sportdog.gr. el. 18 July 2017.
  16. Web site: http://www.volleyplanet.gr/article/o-olimpiakos-tou-sef/. el:O Oλυμπιακός του ΣΕΦ. volleyplanet.gr. el. 18 July 2017. 27 December 2014 .
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05TQ3MNM_Q0#t=00m58s Olympiacos–CSKA Moscow 3–0 1992 CEV Champions League semi-final full game (sec. 58)
  18. Web site: http://sportsfeed.gr/2018/04/03/kiraly-latrepsa-to-pathos-ton-ellinon/. el:Καρτς Κίραλι: Λάτρεψα το πάθος των Ελλήνων. sportsfeed.gr. el. 3 April 2018.
  19. Web site: http://sport-retro.gr/to-prwto-evrwpaiko-toy-eortazontos-olympiakoy-o-giannis-laios-sto-sport-retro-gr/. el:Το πρώτο Ευρωπαϊκό του εορτάζοντος Ολυμπιακού. Ο Γιάννης Λάιος στο Sport-Retro.gr – Η ανδρική ομάδα του Ολυμπιακού, ανήμερα των 71ων γενεθλίων από την ίδρυση του συλλόγου, κατέκτησε το Κύπελλο Κυπελλούχων στο κατάμεστο από περίπου 20.000 κόσμο Στάδιο Ειρήνης και Φιλίας.. sport-retro.gr. el. 18 July 2017. 9 March 2017 .
  20. Web site: http://www.sport24.gr/Sports/Volley/master-sto-sef.800673.html. el:Master στο ΣΕΦ. sport24.gr. el. 18 July 2017.
  21. Web site: http://www.volleyplanet.gr/article/niki-pou-egrapse-istoria/. el:Η νίκη που έγραψε ιστορία. volleyplanet.gr. el. 15 July 2017. 10 March 2015 .
  22. Web site: http://www.sport-fm.gr/article/10296. el:«Κοκκίνισε» η Ευρώπη – Μπροστά σε 15.000 φιλάθλους οι "ερυθρόλευκοι" σήκωσαν το τρόπαιο και το στάδιο πήρε φωτιά.. sport-fm.gr. el. 14 July 2017.
  23. Web site: http://www.sport24.gr/Sports/Volley/otan-o-olympiakos-katekthse-to-deutero-eyrwpaiko.3349708.html. el:Όταν ο Ολυμπιακός κατέκτησε το δεύτερο ευρωπαϊκό. sport24.gr. el. 16 July 2017.
  24. Web site: Ultras World lost for words with Olympiacos fans. fosonline.gr. 15 April 2018. el.
  25. Web site: Ravenna upset 11,800-strong crowd to seize men's Challenge Cup title. cev.eu. 11 April 2018.
  26. Web site: Challenge Cup: Olympiacos destroy Tel Aviv to lift the trophy in front of 13.000 fans!. volleytimes.com. 15 March 2023.