The quarter final playoffs series between Cuneo and Montichiari will kick off on Monday. This is a repeat from last season, when Cuneo won it 2-0, still at the quarter final stage. On Tuesday night, in the PalaEvangelisti gym, Perugia will play host to Piacenza for their first game of the seires.
FORMULA – Quarter finals, semis and final will be played on the best of five games. The best classified team at the end of the regular season will host the first, third and possible fifth encounter.
PLAYOFFS QUARTER FINALS
GAME 1
Played Thursday 26 March at 8.30
Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Sisley Treviso 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-23)
Itas Diatec Trentino – Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-17, 19-17)
Monday 30 March at 8.30
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari LIVE ON SKY SPORT 2
(Cesare – Cinti)
Tuesday 31 March at 8.30pm
RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia – Copra Nordmeccanica Piacenza LIVE ON SKY SPORT EXTRA
(Sobrero – Padoan)
BRE BANCA LANNUTTI CUNEO (3a) – ACQUA PARADISO GABECA MONTICHIARI (6a)
Past encounters: 55 (34 successi per Cuneo, 21 per Montichiari)
In the league: Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 3-0. Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari 3-0.
Wout Wijsmans (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “This is an important advantage for us to play the first playoff game at home because we have yet to lose in Cuneo. This does not mean this will be an easy game and that we will win for sure, but this is a factor that helps us because we know we do well here. Montichiari is a tough team, with great players, it proved it could beat anyone. And then, when you see Trento suffering against Vibo, it’s clear that anything is possible in the playoffs and that what’s behind us does not count. We are preparing this game well and the group is in good shape”.
Mauro Gavotto (Acqua Paradiso Gabeca Montichiari): “We know that Cuneo is a stronger team. But I think that, as a team, we proved that the best of us came against the top teams. It will be important to try to make it difficult for Wjmans and Nikolov, their main players. We will face this game with the spirit of a team that has nothing to lose and that could be an advantage for us”.
Cuneo’s record in the playoffs – 17th participation. First time was in 1991, knocked out in the quarters 2-0 by Milan. Since then, it only missed out on the playoffs twice. It played two finals, both against Treviso, 1-3 in 1996, and 0-3 in 98. Beaten in the semis last season by Piacenza.
Montichiari’s record in the playoffs – 18th participation. First time was in 1987, when it was beaten by Milan in the 8th of Final 2-0. After 5 years out, it qualified last season and was defeated in the quarter finals by Cuneo 2-0. Montichiari has never been in the semi finals.
