SuperLega UnipolSai
Round 9
Everybody will start thinking about the Italian Cup quarter-finals as they face this ninth round in the SuperLega. In order to take part, it is necessary to be among the top 8 at the halfway point of the regular season.
SuperLega UnipolSai Round 9
Sunday December 7 at 6pm
Top Volley Latina – Copra Piacenza Differed on RAI Sport 1 from 10.10pm
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
(Vagni-Simbari)
Exprivia Neldiritto Molfetta – Calzedonia Verona Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Cesare-Longo)
Vero Volley Monza – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Treia Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Braico-Sobrero)
Sir Safety Perugia – Revivre Milano Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Ravallese-Tanasi)
Tonazzo Padova – CMC Ravenna Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Santi-Saltalippi)
Monday December 8 at 5.30pm
Modena Volley – Altotevere Città di Castello-Sansepolcro Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
(La Micela-Gini)
Rested: Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino
League table
Modena Volley 21, Cucine Lube Banca Marche Treia 19, Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino 18, Sir Safety Perugia 16, Top Volley Latina 14, Calzedonia Verona 12, CMC Ravenna 12, Exprivia Neldiritto Molfetta 9, Copra Piacenza 9, Altotevere Città di Castello-Sansepolcro 6, Tonazzo Padova 5, Revivre Milano 2, Vero Volley Monza 1
1 more game: Energy T.I. Diatec Trentino, Top Volley Latina, Calzedonia Verona, CMC Ravenna, Tonazzo Padova
Top Volley Latina – Copra Piacenza
The in-form Latina had a very positive month of November with 11 points grabbed in 5 games (four wins and a tie-break loss). Big test for Blengini’s men against Piacenza who, unlike Latina, had a poor run with only 3 points last month. But Zlatanov and co have stopped the bleeding with a Champions League that will have given them a boost as they are ninth and chasing a spot in the Italian Cup.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 26 (17-9 Piacenza)
Candido Grande (Sport director Top Volley Latina): “This will be a tough game. Piacenza has been having difficulties and they’ll want to get on track. They have signed Poey, who will be a nice surprise. But we have to focus on ourselves, the team has been playing well, we’re glad with the way the boys are performing but we know we can do even better. I invite the fans to come because we will need them in this clash that could be key for the cup qualification”.
Hristo Zlatanov (Copra Piacenza): “Latina has done very little wrong so far. We tried our best but had very different results than them in the last three games. Latina is a tough team, they have had great games while we’re trying to find our balance without the important player that was Le Roux. Sunday’s encounter will be a crucial test, we need to find our composure and balance with a new starting line-up. Hopefully, we’ll get a positive response from this difficult road game”.
Exprivia Neldiritto Molfetta – Calzedonia Verona
Rested last week, Molfetta will try to make the most of the coming five games to get into the top 8. Without the injured Di Pinto, they are currently 8th but a win or a loss can totally change the situation. Verona is on the up, they gathered two consecutive wins over Monza and Padova. In the Venetian derby, Gasparini and Anzani shined with 16 points apiece, while Deroo and Sander had 19 each.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 4 (2 each)
Luca Spirito (Exprivia Neldiritto Molfetta): “We used last week without a game as a second physical and technical preparation. We tried various alternatives too. My first experience in the SuperLega, as a starter, is going very well. I learn everyday trying to do my best against opponent that I was watching on TV just a few months ago. We’ll need to get points in any possible way in the next few games in order to get in the cup”.
Andrea Giani (coach Calzedonia Verona): “This is an important game. We’ll be up against a good team in a gym where you can really feel the passion. This should be great to play in this PalaPoli arena. This will surely be a difficult game but we are determined because we want to play a good game and add to our good run so far”.
Vero Volley Monza – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Treia
Monza will need a huge breakthrough to have the better of the Italian champions. During the week they let French spiker Quesque go. Treia is coming off two defeats in Trento in the league, and away against Belgorod in the Champions League. Fei left the floor early in the last game and is doubtful.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: None
Oreste Vacondio (Coach Vero Volley Monza): “We worked extremely hard for this game. We’re facing an exceptional team, who have too many quality players. We’ll need to serve well and make it hard for their reception. It will be a good opportunity to play a good game in front of our fans. We’ll have no pressure and we’ll be extremely motivated. I already experienced this type of games and I know what it means to face such strong opposition. The obstacles must be overcome with fighting spirit and character, without fear. I have never given up and I hope my boys will have the same will and anger that I have when I used to play”.
Dragan Stankovic (Cucine Lube Banca Marche Treia): “Our main goal in Monza is to get back on the winning track after our defeats in Trento and against Belgorod at home. Our opponents are in the hunt for points, they are still looking for their first win of the season. This means we’ll need to take care of every detail in order to avoid lapses and get back home with the win. Besides, there is my Serbian teammate on the opposite side, Jovovic”.
Sir Safety Perugia – Revivre Milano
Perugia keeps being unstoppable both in the SuperLega and the Champions League. Grbic’s men registered another European victory this week against Maaseik, which makes it 8 consecutive wins altogether. They will try to complete the ninth symphony against Milan, who is looking for its second win this season. They will also try to avoid a seventh 3-0 defeat, the second in a row after the one conceded against Latina last week.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: None
Carmine Fontana (Ass. coach Sir Safety Perugia): “We’re coming off a long trip that lasted six days. We are obviously happy with the two wins but physically this is a difficult situation to deal with. The Maaseik game proved us that we need to keep a high level of intensity and focus at all time. Otherwise we run the risk, as it happened on other occasions, to have lapses during games. Despite its current league position, Milan has a few quality players. We’ll need a good performance to keep our winning streak going”.
Marco Maranesi (Coach Revivre Milano): “We’re going to Perugia with confidence, even if we know how tough it’s going to be. We have been improving in the last two weeks, and the stats are testimony. We have to do better on the break though, and that depends on our serving. Besides, good serving is crucial to put their strong setter to the test, so I expect some progress in that area”.
Tonazzo Padova – CMC Ravenna
Padova was a bit disappointed to come out empty-handed from the derby against Verona. They sprinted off the blocks but couldn’t make it four useful results in a row despite 21 points from Mattia Rosso. Hoping to get Giannotti back at his best, they host Ravenna, who had a perfect start in the Challenge Cup in mid-week but will have to recover quickly from that long trip. They will need three points at all cost in order to make a step further towards the Italian cup quarters.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 52 (28-24 Padova)
Valerio Baldovin (Coach Tonazzo Padova): “This will definitely be a tough game, but an important test to get better in the various aspects that did not allow us to get more points than we deserved in the last round. We have worked with intensity this week, I am happy with the boys”.
Waldo Kantor (Coach CMC Ravenna): “We should not take into account the two games we won in pre-season against Padova. The two teams have changed since and Padova got a lot stronger, especially in recent games. Consequently, if we want to put an end to three consecutive losses, we’ll really need to give our absolute best”.
Modena Volley – Altotevere Città di Castello-Sansepolcro
The win in Ravenna and Treia’s loss in Trento propelled Modena top of the SuperLega. With six 3-0 win on the bounce, seven wins altogether, and 21 consecutive sets to start the season, Modena last won the Emilia Romagna derby. The orchestra led by Bruninho got bigger with the addition of Japanese star Yuki Ishikawa. As for Montagnani’s men, they got back to winning last Sunday against Monza. This was their first three-point victory of the season.
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 2 (2 each)
Andrea Sartoretti (Sport director Modena Volley): “This is a very special game for me, an emotional moment, useless to deny it. Playing against the team of your home town is different than any other game. Città di Castello proved last year, when they beat us, that this is a club on the up, and they’re continuing on that road this season. This won’t be an easy game, we’ve won seven in a row and 21 sets, it’s obvious that the opponents try anything possible against us. But one thing is for sure, we’re not afraid, we just have respect for every opponent. The wins got us confidence and belief, we now have that conviction that is needed to face a long and exhausting season. We have a tough month of December ahead, then there will be the Italian Cup in January, we’ll really be fully immersed in our season and we’ll need to be at our best for the final rush. On Monday, Yuki Ishikawa will finally arrive from Japan. We will introduce him before the game, he’s a true talent, he will turn 19 in 10 days, but I am sure he will settle in the group easily and will really help us. He will get a lot of media attention but that won’t take him away from his goal: playing well for Modena in this tough Italian league”.
Marco Bartolini (Ass.coach Altotevere Città di Castello-Sansepolcro): “Modena is the most in-form team right now, and we know that winning makes everything easier. They started off brightly, they are unbeaten and express excellent volleyball thanks to the confidence they have acquired in this rocket start to the season. We’ll just play our game and try to keep progressing, hoping that playing in the PalaPanini arena will be a source of motivation for the boys”.
Serie A2 UnipolSai<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; COLOR: #464646; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: IT; mso-fareast
