Olympiacos SFP (men's volleyball)

Olympiacos Men's Volleyball (Greek: Ολυμπιακός, [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.

For the parent multi-sport club, see Olympiacos SFP.
Olympiacos
NicknameThrylos (The Legend)
Erythrolefkoi (The Red-Whites)
Founded1926
GroundMelina Merkouri Indoor Hall
(Capacity: 1,800)
ChairmanMichalis Kountouris
ManagerDaniel Castellani
LeagueA1 Greek Volleyleague
CEV Cup
2020–211st (Champion)
WebsiteClub home page
Uniforms
Home
Away
Championships
2 CEV Cups
1 CEV Challenge Cup
31 Greek Volleyleague Championships
16 Greek Cups
6 Greek League Cups
2 Greek Super Cups
Active departments of Olympiacos
Football Football B Basketball
(Men's)
Basketball
(Women's)		 Volleyball
(Men's)		 Volleyball
(Women's)
Handball
(Men's)		 Water Polo
(Men's)		 Water Polo
(Women's)
Athletics Swimming Sailing
Canoeing Table tennis Fencing
Rowing Boxing Kickboxing
Taekwondo

Olympiacos is the most successful club in Greek volleyball history, having won 31 Greek Volley League titles, 16 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
Olympiacos first volleyball team in 1926
  • Greek Volley League
    • Winners (31) (record): 1968, 1968−69, 1973−74, 1975−76, 1977−78, 1978−79, 1979−80, 1980−81, 1982−83, 1986−87, 1987−88, 1988−89, 1989−90, 1990−91, 1991−92, 1992−93, 1993−94, 1997−98, 1998−99, 1999−00, 2000−01, 2002−03, 2008−09, 2009−10, 2010−11, 2012−13, 2013−14, 2017−18, 2018−19, 2020−21, 2022−23
  • Greek Cup
    • Winners (16) (record): 1980−81, 1982−83, 1988−89, 1989−90, 1991−92, 1992−93, 1996−97, 1997−98, 1998−99, 2000−01, 2008−09, 2010−11, 2012−13, 2013−14, 2015−16, 2016−17
  • Greek League Cup
    • Winners (6) (record): 2012−13, 2014−15, 2015−16, 2016−17,[9] 2017−18, 2018−19
  • Greek Super Cup
    • Winners (2): 2000, 2010
  • Double
    • Winners (14) (record): 1980−81, 1982−83, 1988−89, 1989−90, 1991−92, 1992−93, 1993−94, 1997−98, 1998−99, 2000−01, 2008−09, 2010−11, 2012−13, 2013−14

European competitions

Worldwide competitions

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

1996 CEV Cup Winners' Cup victory
Round Team Home  Away 
Group Stage
(Group B)		 Czech Republic VK Dukla Liberec 1–3
Belgium Desimpel Torhout 3–0
Ukraine Lokomotyv Kharkiv 0–3
Poland Legia Warsaw 3–0
Russia Belogorie Belgorod 3–0
Germany Bayer Wuppertal 3–0
Turkey Eczacıbaşı Istanbul 0–3
Semifinal Netherlands Alcom Capelle 3–1
Final Germany Bayer Wuppertal 3–2

2005 CEV Top Teams Cup victory
Round Team Home  Away 
Qualification Round
(Group 7)		 North Macedonia Rabotnicki Skopje 3–0
Cyprus Pafiakos Pafos 3–0
Bosnia and Herzegovina Brčko Brčko 3–0
Group Stage
(Group A)		 Slovenia Šoštanj Topolšica 3–0 0–3
Switzerland Concordia Näfels 3–0 0–3
Turkey Fenerbahçe Istanbul 3–0 1–3
Quarterfinal Turkey Ziraat Bankası Ankara 3–0 0–3
Semifinal Czech Republic VK Dukla Liberec 3–0
Final Netherlands Ortec Nesselande Rotterdam 3–0

2023 CEV Challenge Cup victory
Round Team Home  Away 
Round of 32 Slovakia Spartak Komárno 3–0 1–3
Round of 16 Bulgaria Burgas 3–0 3–2
Quarterfinals Romania Steaua Bucuresti 3–1 2–3
Semifinals Greece Panathinaikos Athens 1–3 1–4 (Golden Set)
Finals Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv 3–0 0–3

Supporters
Olympiacos volleyball logo

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.[13]

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.[14][15][16] 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."[17]

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.[18][19] After the victory, hundreds of ecstatic Olympiacos fans stormed the court and celebrated the title with the players.[20]

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.[21][22]

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.[23] 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."[24]

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.[25]

Notable players

Notable coaches
Ljubomir Travica
Ljubomir Travica
Zoran Gajić
Zoran Gajić

Season 2023–2024 squad
Daniel Castellani
Shirt No Nationality Player Birth Date Height Position
2 SloveniaAlen Pajenk (1986-04-23) April 23, 19862.02Middle blocker
3 GreeceDimitrios Gkaras (1985-11-12) November 12, 19851.85Libero
4 GreeceDimitris Komitoudis (1995-10-04) October 4, 19951.94Setter
5 SloveniaTonček Štern (1995-11-14) November 14, 19952.00Opposite
6 GreeceMateo Hasballa (2004-05-22) May 22, 20041.85Setter
10 GreeceRafail Koumentakis (1993-05-05) May 5, 19932.03Οutside Hitter
11 GreeceSpyros Chandrinos (2001-02-24) February 24, 20012.00Οutside Hitter
12 GreeceNikos Zoupanis (1989-03-18) March 18, 19892.02Opposite
14 ItalyDragan Travica (c) (1986-08-28) August 28, 19862.00Setter
15 GreeceDimitris Tziavras (1999-02-16) February 16, 19991.77Libero
17 GreeceAnestis Dalakouras (1993-06-18) June 18, 19931.99Outside hitter
23 CubaSalvador Hidalgo Oliva (1985-12-27) December 27, 19851.98Οutside Hitter
- GreeceMitar Tzourits (1989-04-25) April 25, 19892.11Middle blocker
- GreeceVangelis Vajopoulos (2004-05-23) May 23, 20042.01Middle blocker
- BrazilGustavo Bonatto (1986-01-02) January 2, 19862.15Middle blocker

Technical and managerial staff
Name Job
ArgentinaDaniel Castellani Head Coach
Greece Antonis Vourderis Assistant Coach

Captains

Historical performance in Volleyleague

Stats
Season Position W–L Sets
1967–68 1st 6–0 18–0
1968–69 1st 13–1 40–12
1969–70 2nd 20–2
1970–71 4th 16–6
1971–72 2nd 22–2
1972–73 2nd
1973–74 1st 24–0
1974–75 3rd
1975–76 1st 14–1
1976–77 2nd 13–2
1977–78 1st 21–1
1978–79 1st 22–0
1979–80 1st 17–1 52–13
1980–81 1st 22–0 66–13
1981–82 2nd 20–2 63–11
Season Position W–L Sets
1982–83 1st 21–1 65–16
1983–84 2nd 26–2 79–18
1984–85 2nd 25–3 80–14
1985–86 2nd 20–2 63–14
1986–87 1st 21–1 64–11
1987–88 1st 22–0 66–9
1988–89 1st 19–1 59–6
1989–90 1st 21–1 63–6
1990–91 1st 20–0 60–9
1991–92 1st 21–1
1992–93 1st 20–1 62–12
1993–94 1st 21–1 65–11
1994–95 2nd
1995–96 4th 18–8 61–36
1996–97 3rd 19–6 65–27
Season Position W–L Sets
1997–98 1st 26–5 84–25
1998–99 1st 27–3 82–19
1999–00 1st 27–3 82–21
2000–01 1st 27–2 84–14
2001–02 2nd 25–6 83–30
2002–03 1st 25–2 78–24
2003–04 2nd 23–5 76–27
2004–05 2nd 20–11 72–37
2005–06 3rd 20–9 64–37
2006–07 3rd 22–6 72–31
2007–08 3rd 22–9 72–39
2008–09 1st 26–5 82–28
2009–10 1st 25–6 82–34
2010–11 1st 21–6 71–33
2011–12 5th 14–11 56–38
Season Position W–L Sets
2012–13 1st 26–3 78–23
2013–14 1st 23–7 80–38
2014–15 2nd 22–7 75–40
2015–16 3rd 21–5 70–24
2016–17 2nd 28–4 89–24
2017–18 1st 30−0 90−12
2018–19 1st 27−3 79−24
2019–20 2nd 16−5 54−21
2020–21 1st 16−4 54−19
2021–22 2nd 18−6 50–26
2022–23 1st 22−3 70–23

Positions
Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Times 31 16 6 2 1

Kit manufacturer

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

Period Kit provider
2002– Puma
Mikasa
Adidas

See also

References
  1. "Βόλεϊ Ανδρών – Σύντομο Ιστορικό Τμήματος" (in Greek). Olympiacos SFP. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  2. "Concentration of people supporting the most popular club (page 41), Greece: Olympiacos 26%" (PDF). UEFA sixth club licensing benchmarking report on European club football. UEFA. 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  3. 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 (in Greek). "GOAL" newspaper. 2014-04-19.
  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. "SPORT 24 - Στέλιος Μαρκάκης » Πόσοι είναι οι οπαδοί Ολυμπιακού, Παναθηναϊκού, ΑΕΚ, ΠΑΟΚ, Αρη και… πόσο τους αρέσουν οι ομάδες τους εφέτος". Archived from the original on 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2013-07-28., 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. 2017 League Cup final www.sport24.gr
  10. "2001/02 European Champions League". cev.eu.
  11. "1991/92 European Champions League". cev.eu.
  12. "Olympiacos PIRAEUS are the CEV Challenge Cup champions". 16 March 2023.
  13. Σαν σήμερα το 1996 γιόρτασε τα γενέθλιά του με το Κύπελλο Κυπελλούχων (in Greek). Olympiacos official website. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  14. 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. (in Greek). sportdog.gr. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  15. O Oλυμπιακός του ΣΕΦ (in Greek). volleyplanet.gr. 27 December 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  16. Olympiacos–CSKA Moscow 3–0 1992 CEV Champions League semi-final full game (sec. 58). ERT1
  17. Καρτς Κίραλι: Λάτρεψα το πάθος των Ελλήνων (in Greek). sportsfeed.gr. 3 April 2018.
  18. 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. (in Greek). sport-retro.gr. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  19. Master στο ΣΕΦ (in Greek). sport24.gr. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  20. Η νίκη που έγραψε ιστορία (in Greek). volleyplanet.gr. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  21. «Κοκκίνισε» η Ευρώπη – Μπροστά σε 15.000 φιλάθλους οι "ερυθρόλευκοι" σήκωσαν το τρόπαιο και το στάδιο πήρε φωτιά. (in Greek). sport-fm.gr. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  22. Όταν ο Ολυμπιακός κατέκτησε το δεύτερο ευρωπαϊκό (in Greek). sport24.gr. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  23. "Ultras World lost for words with Olympiacos fans" (in Greek). fosonline.gr. 15 April 2018.
  24. "Ravenna upset 11,800-strong crowd to seize men's Challenge Cup title". cev.eu. 11 April 2018.
  25. "Challenge Cup: Olympiacos destroy Tel Aviv to lift the trophy in front of 13.000 fans!". volleytimes.com. 15 March 2023.
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