TEAM COMPOSITION

BAK / Rabita Baku

Baku, Azerbaijan

Team manager	Mr.Ilgar IMAMGULIYEV
Coach	Mr.Marcello ABBONDANZA
Assistant coach	Mr.Parviz SAMADOV
Assistant coach 2	Mr. Ziya RAJABOV
Doctor	Mr.Mardan VALIYEV
Physiotherapist	Mr.Marco MONZONI
Journalist	Mr.Shahlar MAMMADOV

	No.	Name	Lastname	Shirt Name	Birthdate	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	Country
	1	Dobriana	Rabadzhieva	Rabadzhieva	14.06.1991	194	72	305	285	BUL
	2	Angelina	Hübner-Grün	Hübner	02.12.1979	185	74	309	287	GER
	3	Katarzyna	Skorupa	Skorupa	16.09.1984	183	69	302	296	POL
	5	Natasa	Krsmanovic	Krsmanovic	19.06.1985	188	73	305	285	SRB
	7	Madelaynne	Montaño	Montaño	06.01.1983	186	68	338	327	COL
	8	Aurea	Cruz	Cruz	10.01.1982	183	63	310	290	PUR
	10	Alexandra	Fomina	Fomina	04.05.1975	180	73	300	285	UKR
C	12	Mira	Golubovic	Golubovic	15.10.1976	188	74	310	290	SRB
	15	Sanja	Starovic	Starovic	25.03.1983	194	96	315	305	SRB
	16	Foluke	Akinradewo	Akinradewo	05.10.1987	191	79	331	300	USA
	17	Iryna	Zhukova	Zhukova	22.11.1974	179	72	290	270	UKR
L	18	Suzana	Cebic	Cebic	09.11.1984	167	60	279	255	SRB

C=Captain L=Libero

Team profile

Rabita Volleyball Club was first established in 2001. They earned their first silver medal in the Azerbaijani Super League in 2005, then their first gold in 2007. They have remained Azerbaijani champions every year since. The team also won silver at the Azerbaijani Cup in 2011.

The team has also branched out into international competition. After finishing in the 1/8 finals of the 2008 CEV Challenge Cup and in the 1/4 finals of the 2009 edition, in 2010 Rabita Baku did well enough to qualify for the CEV Champions League Final Four tournament. They finished third.

But the 2010/2011 season was the key year in Rabita Baku’s history. They qualified for the Final Four, surprised everyone by defeating three-time Italian Champions Scavolini Pesaro in the semi-final and took silver. This success gave Rabita Baku the chance to take part in the 2011 FIVB Club World Championship – an opportunity the team took hold of, beating all opponents and winning the final in straight sets.

Rabita Baku will participate in the 2012 FIVB Club`s World Championship to defend their crown, after which their attention will turn to the 2013 CEV Women`s Champions League and the road to qualification to the Final Four.

Coach profile

Marcello Abbondanza, the Italian coach of Rabita Baku, started his coaching career in Foppapedretti Bergamo of Italy, assistanting the famous Marco Bonitta.

He would go on to take sole responsibility for Italian Serie A2 club Volley Mazzano before spending three years with Scavolini Pesaro in Serie A1, turning it into one of the most stable and successful teams in Italy. Abbondanza then led another Italian giant, Vini Monteschiavo Jesi, through a number of successful years, followed by Volley Forli and Mc Carnaghi Villa Cortese.

He will officially start his new job with Rabita Baku for the 2012/2013 season, and the FIVB Club World Championship in Doha, Qatar is the Italian coach’s first tournament with the team. His new club will also take part in the 2012/2013 CEV Champions League tournament and expectations are very high.

Abbondanza has also been coach of the Bulgarian national team for the past two years.