In the field of European volleyball, the CEV Champions League is the highest level of European club volleyball in the 2012–13 season and the 54th edition. It is running from 22 October 2012 until 11 March 2013.
Eleven countries sent their representatives for this season namely : Italy, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Germany, Azerbaijan, Romania, Serbia, Czech Republic and Switzerland. There are 24 teams which were drawn into 6 pools. Each team is composed of 4 qualified squads. The 1st and 2nd ranked qualified for the Playoff 12. The organizer of the Final Four were determined after the end of the League Round and qualified directly for the Final Four. The team of the organizer of the Final Four was replaced by the best 3rd ranked team with the best score. The remaining 3rd placed and all 4th placed teams were eliminated.
Pool A : Vakifbank Istanbul (Turkey), RC Cannes (France), Uralochka-NTMK Yekaterinburg (Russia), and Volero Zurich (Switzerland).
Pool B : Rabita Baku (Azerbaijan), Atom Trefl Sopot (Poland), Asystel Carnaghi Villa Cortese (Italy), and Agel Prostějov (Czech Republic).
Pool C : Galatasaray Daikin İstanbul (Turkey), Unendo Yamamay Busto Arsizio (Italy), Dinamo Romprest Bucureşti (Romania), and ASPTT Mulhouse (France).
Pool D : Eczacıbaşı VitrA Istanbul (Turkey), Azerrail Baku (Azerbaijan), Tauron MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) and Dresdner SC (Germany).
Pool E : Dynamo Kazan (Russia), Schweriner SC (Germany), Tomis Constanta (Romania) and Robur Tiboni Urbino (Italy).
Pool F : Lokomotiv Baku (Azerbaijan), Dynamo Moscow (Russia), Bank BPS Fakro Muszyna (Poland), and Crvena Zvezda Beograd (Serbia).
JAPCHAE writes and blogs ... 