European Volleyball League
The European Volleyball League ( official name: European League) is a European competition for national teams. The men's tournament is held annually since 2004. 2009 there was the first time a European league for women.
Rules
The rules of the competition will be determined by the CEV. The qualified teams compete first in a preliminary round against each other. For this they are divided into several groups. The exact sequence of the first round was just as the number of participants in the history of Europe League changed several times. The best teams in the preliminary round qualify in addition to the host of the Final Four.
History
The Europa League was established as a continental supplement to World League, to give the weaker teams more match practice. In the first year the Czech Republic was able to use his home advantage at the Final Four. A year later, the Russians also brought the title on home soil. 2006 in Turkey, the host did not come the first time in the top three. Instead, the Dutch won the final. In 2007, Spain won against the hosts Portugal in the final. In the Final Four in 2008, which was held for the second time in Turkey, Slovakia won the competition as the fifth team. In 2009 there were in the men's first success for Germany, while Serbia was the first winner of the women's competition. 2010, the Portuguese were the first time the winner of the competition, while the women's team from Serbia have acquired their second victory in a row. 2011, the Serbs became the third consecutive European League Women's Champion. For men, the Spaniards reached their fourth final in five years, although they were for the third consecutive unsuccessful - this time losing to the hosts from Slovakia, who have brought their second win of the Europa League after 2008. The Netherlands in 2012 was able to enter the second time after 2006 by a narrow 3-2 victory over hosts Turkey in Ankara in the list of winners at the men. In the women first won the Euroleague Czech Republic. 2013 won the German women at their first participation, while the Belgians won among men.