A week of work in Canada, two friendly matches with the home national team, one won and one lost, before diving into Week 2 which will see the Azzurri playing against France from tomorrow (at 8.00pm local time, 2.00am Italian time on Thursday 6 June), USA, Cuba and Holland, in what will be a fundamental week in terms of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In fact, there are four places still to be assigned for the five-circle event. Fefè De Giorgi’s Italy is in the running and currently holds the first useful position in the ranking, being the first of the non-qualified (the second overall after Poland). At the moment Italy, Slovenia, Argentina and Cuba are the teams holding the temporary pass; we will have to wait for the end of the preliminary phase of the Volleyball Nations League to officially define the qualifiers for Paris 2024. Italy, first in the VNL ranking, currently has a 123.5 point lead in the ranking over Serbia, which is first not qualified out of the four useful positions.
Week 2 (Ottawa, Canada) – Pool 4
Giovedì 6 giugno 2024, ore 2.00
Francia – Italia
Giovedì 6 giugno 2024, ore 22.30
Stati Uniti – Italia
Venerdì 7 giugno 2024, ore 17.00
Cuba – Italia
Domenica 9 giugno 2024, ore 17.00
Italia – Olanda
Week 2
(Le squadre specificate fanno riferimento alla stagione sportiva 2023/24)
Palleggiatori: Simone Giannelli (Sir Susa Vim Perugia), Riccardo Sbertoli (Itas Trentino).
Centrali: Roberto Russo (Sir Susa Vim Perugia), Gianluca Galassi (Mint Vero Volley Monza), Giovanni Sanguinetti (Valsa Group Modena), Simone Anzani (Cucine Lube Civitanova).
Schiacciatori: Luca Porro (Pallavolo Padova), Daniele Lavia (Itas Trentino), Alessandro Michieletto (Itas Trentino), Francesco Recine (Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza).
Opposti: Alessandro Bovolenta (Consar Ravenna), Yuri Romanò (Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza).
Liberi: Fabio Balaso (Cucine Lube Civitanova), Gabriele Laurenzano (Itas Trentino).
CUBA: 1. Masso (C), 2. Mergarejo (S), 4. Sánchez B. (O), 5. Concepcion (C), 6. Thondike (P), 7. Roman Garcia (L), 11. Taboada (P), 13. Simón (C), 17. Alonso (C), 18. Lopez (S), 23. Yant (S), 24. Gorguet (L). Coach Jesus Angel Cruz Lopez
FRANCIA: 2. Grebennikov (L), 4. Patry (O), 6. Toniutti (P), 7. Tillie (S), 11. Brizard (P), 14. Le Goff (C), 16. Bultor (C), 17. Clevenot (S), 19. Louati (S), 20. Diez (L), 21. Faure (O), 23. Carle (S), 25. Jouffroy (C), 31. Seddik (C). Coach Andrea Giani
OLANDA: 2. Keemink (P), 3. Van Garderen (S), 5. van der Ent (C), 6. Meijs (P), 7. Jorna (S), 8. Plak (C), 10. Koops (S), 11. Klok (L), 14. Nimir (O), 16. Ter Maat (O), 17. Parkinson (C), 18. Andringa (L), 22. Wiltenburg (C), 24. Ahyi (C). Coach Roberto Piazza
USA: 1. Anderson (O), 2. Russell (S), 4. Jendryk (C), 5. Ensing (O), 8. Defalco (S), 10. Dagostino (L), 11. Christenson (P), 12. Holt (C), 14. Ma’a (P), 17. Jaeschke (S), 18. Muagututia (S), 19. Averill (C), 20. Smith (C), 22. E. Shoji (L). 25. Champlin (S), 26. Knigge (C). Coach John Speraw
Volleyball Nations League week 1
Classifica: 1. Italia 4 v (11), 2. Slovenia 4 v (10), 3. Cuba 3 v (10), 4. Francia 3 v (9), 5. Polonia 3 v (9), 6. Giappone 3 v (8), 7. Canada 2 v (7), 8. Brasile 2 v (6), 9. Argentina 2 v (6), 10. Paesi Bassi 2 v (6), 11. Germania 1 v (3), 12. USA 1 v (3), 13. Serbia 1 v (3), 14. Bulgaria 1 v (3), 15. Turchia 0 v (1), 16. Iran 0 v (1).
Ranking
1. Polonia (415.12), 2. Italia (361.86), 3. USA (352.45), 4. Giappone (344.26), 5. Slovenia (331.50), 6. Brasile (329.34), 7. Francia (318.12), 8. Argentina (308.13), 9. Cuba (261.17), 10. Germania (243.82), 11. Serbia (238.51), 12. Canada (234.40), 13. Paesi Bassi (222.14), 14. Ucraina (197.66), 15. Turchia (197.50), 16. Iran (195.28), 17. Belgio (177.79), 18. Repubblica Ceca (167.36), 19. Egitto (164.05), 20. Bulgaria (162.31).
