“The Finnish libero wins championships like Zlatan”, the volleyball player was reported Roosa from Koskelo already in 2019.
More than four years later, the medal cabinet has filled up even more, and Koskelo, who is chilling at the top of Europe, will reach a new landmark in his career today, Wednesday.
The win-hungry star libero will become the Finnish volleyball player with the most Champions League matches of all time when Stuttgart meets Fenerbahce in the second leg of the quarterfinals.
At the moment, Koskelo has 44 Champions League matches on his account, but with tonight’s match, he will pass the one who previously held the top spot on the list Janne Heikkinen.
Although the 32-year-old Koskelo has also won and experienced a lot according to his own words, he values his historical record as one of the finest things in his long career.
– It came as a bit of a surprise, but it’s really cool. Somehow, even a little, I thought, oh, wow! There are so many tough names on the list. When I was young, they were really superstars, Koskelo is amazed.
“A move as shocking as it has never been”
Raised in Loimaa, Janko played for the first time in the Champions League in 2014 in the ranks of LP Viest. He says that he remembers something from almost every match, because the struggles of the world’s most prestigious club competition feel so special.
– The best memory of all is last week’s quarter-final match. We’ve beaten big teams before, but everything was right in that game.
– The atmosphere was incredible. There were 600 Fenerbahce fans in our hall, and it was such a shocker that there has never been.
In the first leg, Stuttgart was better 3–2. You can watch the highlights of the match from here.
The victory was sensational, as the Turkish team went on a 25-game winning streak and had not lost a single game in the Champions League this season. Several world champion players play in Fenerbahce’s ranks, such as Turkey’s star chopper Melissa Vargaswho, however, is not in full playing condition at the moment after a shoulder injury.
Turkish cream has won bronze in the previous two years, but Stuttgart’s victory in the quarterfinals was the first in the club’s history.
Koskelo knows that Wednesday’s match can be challenging.
– Last year we beat Fenerbahce in the group stage at home, but we were the opponents in the away game. We are the underdogs and they are under greater pressure to win.
The match rush does not let up
Koskelo is already in his sixth consecutive season in Stuttgart, but the German volleyball culture continues to amaze the Finnish player. It is difficult for him to find words when describing the atmosphere of the matches.
– It’s absolutely insane, especially here in Stuttgart. The hall is always full. I can’t compare it to anything else, it’s just so cool, Koskelo enthuses.
– As supporters, the Germans are a bit different compared to the Finns in that the whole game is encouraged to the end. And especially if we are losing or the game is not going well, we encourage even more.
There won’t be a lack of loud goings-on in Istanbul either, where the place in the Champions League semi-finals will be decided on Wednesday.
After this, Stuttgart’s next big match is already waiting for them on Sunday, when they face Potsdam in the German Cup final. The final match will be played in an ice rink in Mannheim, surrounded by 12,000 volleyball fans.
Koskelo is used to the tight pace of matches, but the current season has been exceptionally difficult. There have been more long game trips than usual, and the constant load is taxing both physically and mentally.
– We have played practically the whole season with the same seven and traveled an awful lot. We have slept on the bus for quite a few nights, after which we live like zombies for a couple of days.
The future is still open
From the beginning of the season, Koskelo had trouble getting started, when his knee, damaged by cartilage damage, was bothering him. The season could have become an agonizing battle for survival, but the top libero overcame the physical challenges and found a good balance in training.
– I have finally understood the limitations of my career. Knee problems have forced me to take it slow, but right now I’m playing almost the best volleyball of my career.
Koskelo has played a successful career abroad, but he has rarely been seen in the Finnish national team shirt. Koskelo, who played in the 2019 European Championship team, wanted to recover properly after the stressful seasons, so that the next autumn could start from the best possible starting point in the club team.
Last summer, Koskelo would have been ready to end his national team career at the European Championships, but for the national team’s head coach To Nikolas Buser did not agree that Koskelo will join the summer camps only in July.
Now the final decision has been made for the national team designs.
– A few weeks ago I communicated with head coach Buser. I announced that the national team games have been played for me. But in good spirits, there was no drama involved in the decision, Koskelo says.
However, the question of the continuation of the entire career draws Roosa Koskelo to thoughtfulness.
– It’s hard to say, because last spring and summer I was pretty sure that this would be my last year.
During the season, thoughts have at least partially changed. Koskelo thanks himself for having the patience to leave the matter still open. At the moment, the continuation of the career gets more green light than red light.
– It would be pretty crazy to stop now, when it’s going well.