On Sunday, Verona will be in Russia for the Challenge Cup final return leg against Fakel Novi Urengoy. The Italians won the first leg on a 3-2 score but they need another victory to celebrate their first European success in history. A tie-break defeat would lead to the Golden Set, while a defeat on any other score would hand in the trophy to the Siberian team.
This is the sixth time that an Italian club makes it to the title game since the launching of the Challenge Cup in 2007-08. Four times, the Italian flag reigned with victories from Modena (with Giani as coach), Perugia, Macerata and Piacenza. On the other hand, Latina’s dream had vanished in the return leg, severely defeated by the home side of Fenerbahce. Latina had won the first leg 3-2. Last season, Ravenna’s run was stopped in the semi-final stage by the Portuguese of Benfica Lisboa.
Final return leg
Sunday 3 April at 3pm, Italian time
Fakel Novi Urengoy (RUS) – Calzedonia Verona (ITA) Live on Fox Sky Sport Plus and Live on TeleNuovo.
Live streaming on www.laola1.tv
CEV CUP PAST WINNERS
(The CEV Cup used to be the third European cup, while the Challenge Cup took over from 2007)
1980/81 A.S. Cannes (FRA)
1981/82 Starlift (NED)
1982/83 Panini Modena
1983/84 Panini Modena
1984/85 Panini Modena
1985/86 Kutiba Falconara
1986/87 Enermix Milano
1987/88 Automobilist Leningrado (URSS)
1988/89 Automobilist Leningrado (URSS)
1989/90 Moerser Moers (GER)
1990/91 Sisley Treviso
1991/92 Maxicono Parma
1992/93 Sisley Treviso
1993/94 Ignis Padova
1994/95 Cariparma Volleyball Parma
1995/96 Alpitour Traco Cuneo
1996/97 Area Ravenna Volley
1997/98 Sisley Treviso
1998/99 Iveco Palermo
1999/00 Piaggio Roma
2000/01 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2001/02 Noicom Brebanca Cuneo
2002/03 Sisley Treviso
2003/04 Kerakoll Modena
2004/05 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2005/06 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2006/07 Fakel Novy Urengoy (RUS)
CHALLENGE CUP PAST WINNERS
2007/08 Cimone Modena
2008/09 Arkas Izmir (TUR)
2009/10 RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia
2010/11 Lube Banca Marche Macerata
2011/12 Tytan AZS Czestochowa (POL)
2012/13 Copra Elior Piacenza
2013/14 Fenerbahce Grundig Istanbul (TUR)
2014/15 Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad (SRB)
Two of the four series will go to the deciding Game 5.
On Sunday, Trentino will be home and they’ll be glad to stay away from this PalaPoli arena, where Stoytchev’s men only won once in four attempts this season. This was in the Italian Cup quarter-final first leg, 3-0 the score. Molfetta had won 3-2 in Trento the return leg. The bad news, on the other hand, is that Gabriele Nelli is still out because of a left thigh injury which he suffered in the Champions League game against Belgorod. Former Trento star Michele Fedrizzi registered 6 aces in the last game and he will be eager to create a major upset. The Apulia team is in good spirit, it’s already a great achievement for them to have brought the series to that do-or-die encounter, but now coach Di Pinto will try to lead his team to an unforgettable night in the history of the club. Molfetta lost the first set of Game 4 but then took over thanks to their top scorer Hernandez (19 points) and some superb serving from the team (20 aces to 5).
Verona is focused on the hostile Siberian climate. On Sunday, the Italians will be in Russia to take on Fakel Novi Urengoy for the Challenge Cup return leg. Giani’s men will take a 3-2 win into the second leg. Then on Wednesday, they will be back home to face Perugia in the league quarter-final Game 5. Out of the CEV Cup after a Golden Set defeat in Moscow, Perugia does not want the season to end with another last-minute loss. In Game 4 lost at the tie-break, Aleksandar Atanasijevic and co served better than their opponents but were not as sharp when the clutch points came.
League playoffs, quarter-final Game 5
Sunday 3 April at 5.30pm
Diatec Trentino – Exprivia Molfetta Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
Wednesday 6 April at 8.30pm
Calzedonia Verona – Sir Safety Conad Perugia Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
League playoffs semi-final Game 1
Saturday 9 April at 6pm
Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova – Winner 4th/5th Live on Lega Volley Channel
Saturday 9 April at 8.15pm
DHL Modena – Winner 3rd/6th Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it
SuperLega UnipolSai, quarter-final Game 5
Past encounters: 14 (9-5 Trento)
This season: 4 times – twice in the regular season (both won 3-0 at home, first Molfetta then Trento). And twice in the cup quarter-finals: (Trento won the first leg 3-0 away, then Molfetta won 3-2 away).
In the playoffs: Six times in the quarters (Trento 4-2).
Simone Giannelli (Diatec Trentino): “Game 5 will probably be different from all the games previously played in the series. The home court has always been a big factor, but after five games it could be that it won’t matter as much as other times. We definitely have to play differently compared to what we did last Sunday in Molfetta. We need a much more convincing performance with maximum determination”.
Joao Rafael De Barros (Exprivia Molfetta): “We have to try to play like we did at home. It will surely be difficult but if we focus exclusively on ourselves and what we’re capable of doing, we can make it. This would be an incredible result after a regular season in which our good start gave us the confidence to reach our target. Many fans will come from Molfetta to support us, that will be important. I have never seen such a great group of supporters. We will do everything possible to give them the joy they deserve”.
Past encounters: 19 (13-6 Perugia)
This season: 4 times – Verona won both regular season game (3-0 away then 3-2 home). Perugia won the 2 Italian Cup games (3-2 away then 3-1 home).
In the playoffs: 7 times in the quarter-finals (Perugia 4-3).
The pre-game quotes from both teams will be out on Tuesday 5 April, on the eve of the game.
First interesting fact from the coming playoffs is that three teams from the Lazio region (Sora, Tuscania and Civita Castellana) made it among the eight to kick off the post-season.
But first, let’s look at the regular season winners of Vibo Valentia. Having celebrated their second consecutive Italian Cup A2, they will now chase the only promotion spot available. However, the last round defeat against Sora was a reminder of how tight this league is. One thing is for sure, though, Vibo has an awful lot of quality. They prevailed in spite of losing Antonio De Paola through injury along the way. The group was led by the Slovakian outside hitter, Peter Michalovic, who finished second top scorer of the tournament. Vibo will take on Cantù, who slipped from 5th to 8th due to a last round home loss against Siena. Della Rosa’s men will take on the best of the league but they will try to make the upset in the Calabria region. Setter Michele Groppi is doubtful.
This will be a first in history for Civita Castellana. Beaten at the tie-break and leapfrogged by Tuscania in the last round derby, Civita still finished in a dream fourth place. Newcomer in this division, it did not take long for Spanakis’ men to settle in at this level. They had qualified for the Italian Cup and a brilliant regular season run have led them to these playoffs quarter-finals. Their opponents will be Reggio Emilia, who managed an incredible come-back thanks to 11 wins in 12 games in the second half of season. As soon as the injury list diminished they stepped up a gear and showed their real quality. Spiker Ludovico Dolfo and setter Manuele Marchiani had stand-out performances this season guiding the group to fifth place. Coach Cantagalli did an excellent job of alternating his two outside hitters, the experienced Leano Cetrullo and the Cameroonian Yvan Arthur Kody. One of Reggio’s main problem will be to stop Civita’s outside hitter Paulo Da Silva, who finished top scorer of the competition. Besides, he led his team to two victories over Reggio Emilia in regular season.
Sora enters the playoffs as one of the hot favourites to go up. All the more so after its last round breakthrough over Vibo Valentia at the tie-break. This year, Sora reached the cup final (beaten by Vibo in five sets) and beat its record of points. This is also the team that registered the biggest number of victories. Soli’s men will try to overcome its ghosts of the past, having often been close to prestigious results without finding the final push, just like last season when they surrendered in Game 5 of the semi-finals against Potenza Picena, their opponent in these quarter-finals. Seventh in the standings, Potenza has only lost once on a 3-0 score. They will try to beat the odds as they finished the regular season on a great run, taking ten points in the last four rounds. However, Sora had the better in the two games, both at the tie-break.
Tuscania snatched third place in the very last game thanks to a derby win over Civita Castellana. Tofoli’s men had a great year and a terrific end of regular season. Having tallied a superb 18 wins, they will make their full debut in the playoffs against libero Andrea Marchisio, who was at Montefiascone last season before moving to Siena, their opponent in the quarter-finals. The ambitious Tuscans had a poor start to the season but a change of coach with Massimo Caponeri in, and some good additions to the roster meant they could turn things around. They even moved up to sixth at the last minute thanks to a straight set win over Cantù. This is also Siena’s first ever participation in the A2 playoffs. They took four of the six points against Tuscania this season, they were defeated in Montefiascone 3-2 but registered a comfortable win in their PalEstra arena.
Serie A2 playoffs, quarter-finals Game 1
Sunday 3 April at 5pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Cassa Rurale Cantù Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Spinnicchia-Guarneri)
Sunday 3 April at 6pm
Globo Scarabeo Civita Castellana – Conad Reggio Emilia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Volley Potentino Potenza Picena Live on Lega Volley Channel
Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania – Emma Villas Siena Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 2
Wednesday 6 April at 8.30pm.
Cassa Rurale Cantù – Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Conad Reggio Emilia – Globo Scarabeo Civita Castellana Live on Lega Volley Channel
Volley Potentino Potenza Picena – Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora Live on Lega Volley Channel
Emma Villas Siena – Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania Live on Lega Volley Channel
Quarter-finals Game 3 will be played on Sunday 10 if needed
