Serie A1 TIM
League semi-finals
On Sunday 18 April at 6pm, the playoff semi-finals will begin with Cuneo taking on Treviso. The home side had the better of Piacenza 3-0 in the previous round and is in the semi-finals for the sixth consecutive season. On the other side of the net, Treviso is back at the top after two years away from the top four and it is determined to open a new successful era.
The other semi-final put face to face Trentino and Macerata. The hosts have not played any official games for 18 days due to the fact that the Champions League Final Four has been postponed because of the air crash costing the lives of the Polish political leaders. De Giorgi’s team is ready to face the regular season champs after knocking out Modena 3-1 in the quarter-finals.
Game 2 will be on Wednesday 21 April at 8.30pm.
1ª- Itas Diatec Trentino | 3 |
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3-0 3-2 3-0 |
| Itas Diatec Trentino |
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8ª- Marmi Lanza Verona | 0 |
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4ª- Trenkwalder Modena | 1 |
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1-3 2-3 3-2 0-3 |
| Lube B.Marche MC |
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5ª- Lube Banca Marche MC | 3 |
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| V-Day |
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| Bologna, |
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2ª- Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo | 3 |
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| 9 May |
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3-0 3-1 3-0 |
| Bre Banca Lannutti CN |
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7ª- CoprAtlantide Piacenza | 0 |
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3ª- Sisley Treviso | 3 |
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3-2 0-3 3-1 3-0 |
| Sisley Treviso |
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6ª- Acqua Paradiso Monza | 1 |
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Game 1 – Sunday 18 April at 6pm
Itas Diatec Trentino – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
(Barbero-Rapisarda)
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Sisley Treviso – Liv e on Rai Sport Più
(Pasquali-Sampaolo)
FIXTURES
Game 2 – Wednesday 21 April at 8.30pm
Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Itas Diatec Trentino
Sisley Treviso – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Diretta Rai Sport Più
Game 3 – Sunday 25 April at 6pm
Itas Diatec Trentino – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Sisley Treviso
Game 4 (If needed) – Wednesday 28 April at 8.30pm
Lube Banca Marche Macerata – Itas Diatec Trentino
Sisley Treviso – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
Game 5 (If needed) – Sunday 2 May at 6pm
Itas Diatec Trentino – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Sisley Treviso
FINAL
Finale (V-Day): Sunday 9 May at 6pm, Bologna – Live on Rai Sport Più
Gara 1
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Sisley Treviso
Past encounters: 73 (47-26 Treviso).
Playoffs: 19 (15-4 Treviso).
Francesco Fortunato (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “We’re expected the gym to be packed for the semi-final. We proved we were a strong team that wants to go all the way. Fortunately, we are in better shape than last season. We will face a top quality team on Sunday and we know we’ll have to fight hard for every point. I can’t wait to play”.
Ricardo Garcia (Sisley Treviso): “We are working very well, we are up for it and there is a positive feeling in the air in trainings and meetings. The team can’t wait to get on the bus to go to Cuneo and play this first game of the series. There is a really good atmosphere in the group. I don’t think there is much difference between us and Cuneo: Two strong teams. They finished second while we took third place, but despite the three defeats, there is very little difference. I’ve seen declaration from them in the papers saying they were favourite because of the game won during the season. I don’t agree, I think it’s a fifty-fifty chance to go to the final. I have a lot of experience of playoffs and in-or-out games and I am convinced that whatever happened until now does not matter. We are both there ready to try to win 3 out of 5 games. We are ready for this and we are convinced we can play face to face with Cuneo, starting this Sunday”.
Gara 1
Itas Diatec Trentino – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
Past encounters: 24 (13-11 Trentino).
Playoffs: Never met in the league playoffs
Leandro Vissotto (Itas Diatec Trentino): “The two wins obtained against Macerata in the regular season does not matter at all anymore. The playoffs is a new season that begins and we’ll have to use all our previous experiences played at a high level to good effect. If we serve hard and work well at the net, we can make it difficult for them, but we’ll have to play each game as if it was the most important one. It does not matter that much to stay unbeaten home or obtain an away win: what matters is to beat the opponents every time we meet them. We want to reach the V-Day and, if possible, do so using as less energy as possible. We also have to play the Champions League Final Four. Still, I think it will be impossible to do so against such a tough Macerata team. All in all, it will be a long and hard battle”.
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