The match between Belluno Volley and Negrini Cte Acqui Terme doesn’t just offer three points, but a good share of qualification for the next Italian Cup.
The competition parallel to the Serie A3 Credem Banca championship, in fact, includes the top four teams from the white grouping (the one in which the rhinos appear) and the top four from the blue grouping (from Central and Southern Italy). Which will give rise to the quarter-finals, scheduled for Wednesday 10 January 2024: quarters that will result in a single match, to be played at the home of the best ranked team, after the halfway point of the regular season. The winners will then meet in the semi-finals.
So what is the picture of the situation? If the first round were to end now, the Belluno team would reach the cup draw and would immediately meet the league leaders Gabbiano Mantova, to face away. But there are still two matches left before completing the first leg. And anything can still happen. Also because the differences in the ranking are minimal. In this regard, with Mantua and San Donà already sure of a place in the sun, there are four sextets fighting to qualify: Acqui Terme (third with 20 points), Gian Luca Colussi’s group, Monge Gerbaudo Savigliano (both with 19 points ) and Cus Cagliari, sixth at 18.
In short, you don’t need to be a statistician to understand that Sunday’s direct clash at the Spes Arena represents a crucial turning point in the Italian Cup. Yes, the cup: the Belluno team have already played it in 2022, when, however, the “invitation” was extended to sixteen teams (eight per group). And now they want an encore.
