Serie A1
Round 7
Time for the first midweek round in the A1. Beaten in Roma this weekend, San Giustino takes on Piacenza, which is looking for its fifth consecutive win. Derby between Verona and Treviso, 8th in the table. Forli is chasing its first win and points at home against Modena, stuck with 6 points in the last two rounds. Giani’s Roma team promises league leaders Trento a fight. Vibo is welcoming the Italian champions, Cuneo. Latina plays its second home game running. Following its victory over Verona, it will try to stop Macerata, second. Finally, Castellana Grotte, still suffering multiple injured players, meet a Monza team on its way back.
Round 7
Wednesday 1 December at 8.30pm
RPA-LuigiBacchi.it San Giustino – Copra Morpho Piacenza Live on Rai Sport 1
Live streaming on http://www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raisport/multimedia/diretta.html
(Padoan-Longo)
Andreoli Latina – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
(Caltabiano-Santi)
Yoga Forlì – Casa Modena
(Pol-Gnani)
M. Roma Volley – Itas Diatec Trentino
(Castagna-Tanasi)
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
(Perri-Cipolla)
Marmi Lanza Verona – Sisley Treviso
(La Micela-Sampaolo)
BCC-NEP Castellana Grotte – Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza
(Zucca-Puecher)
League table
Itas Diatec Trentino 20*, Lube Banca Marche Macerata 16, Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 16, M. Roma Volley 13, Copra Morpho Piacenza 10*, Andreoli Latina 10, Sisley Treviso 8, Marmi Lanza Verona 7, Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza 7, Casa Modena 6, RPA-LuigiBacchi.it San Giustino 6, Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia 6, BCC-NEP Castellana Grotte 4, Yoga Forlì 0
*1 game more: Itas Diatec Trentino, Copra Morpho Piacenza
RPA-LuigiBacchi.it San Giustino – Copra Morpho Piacenza
PRECEDENTI: 29 (17-12 Piacenza).
Emanuele Zanini (coach RPA-LuigiBacchi.it San Giustino): “It would have been better to meet Piacenza at the beginning of the championship when it was in difficulty. Now, it is right on track, it has found its identity. It will be without a doubt a tough game, we can’t afford to make the same mistakes as against Roma. We know we’ll have to fight for every point of every set, against any opponent. This should be our strength”.
Davide Marra (Copra Morpho Piacenza): “This won’t be easy by any means. San Giustino has excellent players, who perform extremely well at home. They’ll be keen to take the points and win it. The important thing for us is to stay focused and follow at best Lorenzetti’s advice so that we can make it difficult for our opponent”.
Andreoli Latina – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 20 (17-3 Macerata).
Carmelo Gitto (Andreoli Latina): “Against a great team like Macerata, you have to give your best. If we want to get something out of it, we’ll have to play better than against Verona, starting with the serve. They have great potential in attack with Omrcen and Savani, and a deep roster on the bench that allows them to keep a strong team on court. As a player owned by Macerata, I have an extra motivation”.
Alessandro Paparoni (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “This is undeniably a very difficult road game, there is always a great atmosphere there and their team is obtaining great results in this beginning of season. We are playing well, despite the fact that the injuries are slowing us down. I think we’ll have to focus on our game rather than the opponent, we have to play on our strengths and try to impose our game from the start, using the serve. Latina will be the first of three important and tough away games for us: Next Sunday, we’ll travel to Modena, then in Greece in the Challenge Cup. It would be nice to start this series with a good performance”.
Yoga Forlì – Casa Modena
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 10 (8-2 Modena).
Vigor Bovolenta (Yoga Forlì): “We have to show our pride, we need to start to get everybody going. We have to show what we are made of, starting against Modena. We should finish the game knowing we have given maximum effort and the next time, give even more. It can either go right or wrong, but the important thing is to know you have done your best. At least, this way you are in peace with yourself and can keep your head high”.
Cristian Casoli (Casa Modena): “In Forli, we simply have to play a good game, play good volleyball, with intensity and quality and, first of all, limit our mistakes. I am convinced the team did not have a bad game in Cuneo. Obviously, it’s not enough against a team that aims for the league title, and we paid dearly certain mistakes. I think our level of play is improving, this is the basics, looking for consistency and a constant quality level of play. This is what we have to do in training every day and then in the games. Going back to Forli, I’m sure they’ll give their best because they need points. It won’t be easy and I’m not just saying this for the sake of it, they have quality and a big need of points. We’ll have to be 100% focused from the first to the last minute. I am ready to play if Prandi needs me. We all have to be ready for the good of Modena”.
M. Roma Volley – Itas Diatec Trentino
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 6 (Trento won them all).
Ivan Zaytsev (M. Roma Volley): “It would be nice to have the fans pushing and supporting us in numbers. We know that Trento is probably the strongest team in the world, but the fact we’re playing home with the help of our fans could take a bit of pressure off our shoulders. The first games were technically easier but mentally tougher, because if we had not taken points we would really feel the pressure right now. But instead, we’ll be able to face Trento and then Cuneo without needing to win at all cost. Kaziyski and Juantorena are two of the best spikers in the world and let’s not forget Stokr and the others. They are fantastic players because they combine unbelievable athletic attributes with a unique technique. It’s difficult to find players as complete as them. They also have an incredible variety of hits: in attack, on the serve, at the net. If we want to win, we’ll have to hope that at least one of them will not be at his best and that we do everything to perfection. But it’s not impossible. Trento has lost in the Champions League, even if it was against another very strong team, we know they can be beaten. I can’t wait to play, to put all my cards on the table”.
Roberto Serniotti (Itas Diatec Trentino): “This will be a particularly difficult encounter because our opponent is in great shape. They won 5 of their first 6 league games. Roma is always a tough place to go to, and the team has been built very accurately, mixing extremely motivated youngsters with experienced players. Besides, Andrea Giani is learning extremely fast, probably because when he was a player, he was already feeling like a coach. I am not surprised with their current position in the table and, knowing how it is in Roma, I’m sure there will be a heated atmosphere waiting for us. In the two years spent in Roma, the game against Trento was always one of the most awaited but also one that never left us many joy given that I’ve always lost it. Hopefully, this tradition will continue now that I am on the other side”.
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 11 (9-2 Cuneo).
Vincenzo Di Pinto (Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia): “We have maximum respect for our opponent but tomorrow’s game against Cuneo will be more of a training-game for us, considering the fact that we don’t have many opportunities to work all together. We don’t have much time between the games so we’ll try to take care of the physical problems that have been lasting, in particular the ones regarding Rivera, Nikolov and Simeonov. We’ll try to do something good, keeping in mind that just three days later we’ll face Forli, an opponent with the same targets as ours”.
Luigi Mastrangelo (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “After about a month out due to a problem on the elbow, I’ve finally been able to come back against Modena last Sunday. I’m not training at hundred percent, I still have to find my rhythm, and the coach is limiting my minutes. Still, I have recovered, still not at hundred percent, but I’m on the right track. This is a very difficult period for us, physically too: this is why it will help us to have a deep bench. The turnover will probably be needed, but Giani will make the decisions. The important thing is not to lower our guards, starting with this away game in Vibo: We’ll have to be very careful and focused to avoid any step back and stay consistent”.
Marmi Lanza Verona – Sisley Treviso
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 19 (14-5 Treviso)
Bruno Bagnoli (Marmi Lanza Verona): “Treviso is a great team wounded in its pride, it will want to put its four consecutive defeats behind. They will try to avoid making the mistakes that cost them important points. They have built a team to compete with the likes of Trento, Cuneo and Macerata, so I’m expecting them to be focused to avoid missed serves or incomprehension with the setter. Having said that, I am convinced we have our chance to get something out of it in front of our amazing fans”.
Roberto Piazza (Sisley Treviso): “We are facing a very difficult game. They are at home and will surely give 101%. I’m sure the mental and psychological aspect will be key. I think this could be more important right now than the technical side of the game. We really have to get back on track now and try to cut the deficit on the teams ahead of us”.
BCC-NEP Castellana Grotte – Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza
PAST ENCOUNTERS: None
Luca Monti (coach Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza): “When you’re away from home, it’s always difficult, and even more so in Castellana. I played there a few times in the A2 and their fans are unbelievable. It won’t be easy but last Sunday’s win got us back on track. We’ve been playing as a unit in the last two games and I think the team spirit will make the difference. Still, Castellana has been surprising with its versatility, anyone can get on court and play well. They lost against Macerata on Sunday but they fought hard and were without a few starters. We’ll have to be ready. As for the starting six, it will be the same as against Treviso with Buti starting on the bench”.
Stefano Patriarca (BCC-NEP Castellana Grotte): “This will be a crucial game for us because we want to win our first home game and bounce back after the recent defeats. It will be a tough game because Monza has just obtained a prestigious result in Treviso which will have got everybody galvanised. But I think they will meet an even more motivated team in front of our home fans, ready to put an end to a rather unlucky period”.
Serie A2
Round 9
A2 action on Wednesday at 8.30. The big match of the day is at the Pala Parenti between the two leaders of the division: Santa Croce, without Snippe, and Padova. Another clash at the top will put face to face Sora which needs the three points to catch up its opponent of the day, Ravenna. Following its breakthrough against former leaders Ravenna, newly promoted Genova wants to keep surprising as it hosts Città di Castello. Ricci’s Segrate team is looking for its second consecutive win against Mantova, which wants to put an end to five consecutive stops. Milan travels to Isernia. Reggio Emilia has no intention to slow down against Perugia, 13th in the league. The bottom two teams of the league, Pineto and Club Italia, are facing two tough tests respectively in Loreto and at home against Gela.
Round 9
Wednesday 1 December at 8.30pm
Geotec Isernia – CheBanca! Milano
(Vagni-Turtù)
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Marcegaglia CMC Ravenna
(Bartoloni-Valeriani)
Energy Resources Carilo Loreto – Pallavolo Pineto
(Montanari-Guerzoni)
NGM Mobile S.Croce – Pallavolo Padova
(Astengo-Cardaci)
Carige Genova – Gherardi SVI Città Di Castello
(Goitre-Balboni)
Edilesse Conad Reggio Emilia – Sir Safety Perugia
(Piluso-Piana)
Club Italia A.M. Roma – Eurogroup Gela
(Oranelli-Zavater)
Volley Segrate 1978 – Canadiens Mantova
(Feriozzi-Zanussi)
League table
NGM Mobile S.Croce 21, Pallavolo Padova 21, Marcegaglia CMC Ravenna 20, Globo Banca Pop. Frusinate Sora 17, Edilesse Conad Reggio Emilia 15, Carige Genova 14, CheBanca! Milano 14, Gherardi SVI Città Di Castello 12, Energy Resources Carilo Loreto 10, Geotec Isernia 10, Eurogroup Gela 10, Volley Segrate 1978 8, Sir Safety Perugia 7, Canadiens Mantova 6, Pallavolo Pineto 5, Club Italia A.M. Roma 2.
