The 5th Place Play Off Final won on Saturday in Verona by Cucine Lube Civitanova, with guaranteed access to the 2025 Challenge Cup, effectively marked the end of the red and white competitive season after the official match number 47 in the 2023/24 calendar of activities, the seventh of the event aimed at gaining the European pass.
The actual breaking of lines exclaimed by coach Romano Giannini arrived the following day, Sunday, not on the pitch but at the table. The players met as per tradition with the president Simona Sileoni, the staff and the management at the Madeira Brazilian Beach and Food on the southern seafront of Civitanova Marche for a convivial interlude.
The happy ending of the previous evening, in the shadow of the arena, did not erase the regret of the team group for a path marked by too many ups and downs, for a Super Cup played at the highest levels but only missed in the Final in Biella, for the arrival at the Final Four of the Italian Cup faded in Brianza and due to the impactful misstep in Game 5 of the Quarterfinals in the Scudetto Play Offs at the Eurosuole Forum, while the return to the Champions League Semifinal must be seen as an important objective achieved, the most prestigious in season, even if the journey was then interrupted in the double match against the now former Italian champions.
In the final rush of the sporting year, after the resignation of Chicco Blengini, who repeated himself in his second cycle in red and white, bringing other Scudetti to Lube and working hard to encourage the growth of emerging players, Romano Giannini’s lightning adventure came to life at the reins of the team. From second to head coach, the coach from the Marche showed a mix of personality and method, helping the group to find themselves and fielding a winning Lube, capable of closing the year with four consecutive victories, of which three away on difficult pitches , despite the unavailability of some key players. The great heart of the athletes in the key matches was also fundamental to achieve a fifth place with a strong emotional impact.
The training calendar is over and the summer diaspora of players is beginning, with some of the members about to reach their respective national teams in view of official commitments. For some time, however, the management has been working to plan the next competitive season.
