French star Ngapeth joins Foolad ahead of Asian Champions League
French star Earvin Ngapeth joined Foolad Sirjan ahead of the Iranian champion’s upcoming campaign at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Champions League – starting May 11 in the Japanese cities of Hirakata and Kyoto.
Widely regarded as the best player in the sport in recent years, Ngapeth, 34, played an essential part in his country’s Olympic gold-winning run on home soil last year, picking up the event’s Most Valuable Player prize.
Ngapeth is Foolad’s second marquee signing ahead of its bid for a third Asian title, after Shadab Yazd’s Cuban middle-blocker signed for the club to fill in for injured Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi.
Frenchman Trévor Clévenot, who was named the joint best outside-hitter alongside Ngapeth at the Paris Olympics, is also set to sign for Foolad on a short-term contract in the coming days.
Fresh from a second successive crown at the Iranian Premier League, Foolad will fancy a comfortable run in Pool C of the Asian Champions League – also featuring Chinese Taipei’s Taichung Bank and Nakhon Ratchasima QminC of Thailand.
Heading to Japan as the defending champion, Ataei’s men will begin their campaign against the Thai club on the opening day of the competition, before taking on Taichung Bank two days later.
A top two finish in the pool will send Foolad into the quarterfinals, where a much tougher test against home-favorite Osaka Bluteon or Chinese club Shanghai Bright awaits the Iranian powerhouse.