Eight teams fighting for a place in the Final Four to take place in Rome on February 18-19. The winner of each game on Wednesday night will directly advance to the semi-finals. Winners of the Cup in 2007, Cuneo takes on Belluno. Ten days after its 3-0 victory over Roma, Macerata meets the team from the capital once more. Back on top of the league, Trentino will be hot favourite against Vibo Valentia, which made it to the final of the competition in 2005. Modena and Monza played against each other just three days ago (3-0 Monza) and they’ll be at it again this Wednesday night. Modena won the trophy 10 times but the last one was in 1998, while Monza has never won it.
Quarter-finals
Wednesday January 25 at 8.30pm
Lube Banca Marche Macerata (1) – (8) M. Roma Volley Live on Sportube.tv
(Satanassi-Caltabiano)
Casa Modena (4) – (5) Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza
(Pasquali-Santi)
Itas Diatec Trentino (2) – (7) Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia
(Sampaolo-Pucher)
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo (3) – (6) Sisley Belluno Live on Rai Sport 1
(Saltalippi-Rapisarda)
Lube Banca Marche Macerata – M. Roma Volley
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 11 (7-4 Roma)
PAST CUP MEETINGS: 1 – Final 2007-2008 (Roma – Macerata 0-3).
Macerata in the cup:
17 participation, 4 titles (2001, 2003, 2008, 2009)
Roma in the cup
4 participation: 1 title (A2 cup 2010)
Dragan Stankovic (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “We’re coming off two consecutive defeats, this game against Roma represents therefore the best possible way to redeem ourselves. In order to beat Giani’s team, it will be fundamental to adopt a good attitude and try to impose our rhythm with our serve. We have already beaten Roma twice this season, but this doesn’t mean anything. This will be a whole new story. We’ll need to be at our best to make it in Rome and fight for the first important trophy of the season”.
Alberto Cisolla (M. Roma Volley): “The do-or-die games like that are always trips into the unknown, there are often surprises. We have to stay calm and composed, building a positive energy out of our win over Cuneo. Besides, Macerata is coming off two losses and they might lack a little confidence. Their main strength is the break, with the serve and block. We can’t afford to put our heads down if they inflict us a run of points”.
Casa Modena – Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 65 (43-22 Modena)
PAST CUP MEETINGS: 0
Modena in the cup
29 participation, 10 titles (1979, 80, 85, 86, 88, 89, 94, 95, 97, 98)
Monza in the cup
Never beyond the quarter-finals
Daniele Bagnoli (coach Casa Modena): “This double header against Monza looks like a playoff with two games in three days. That’s when you need experience and concentration, we need to make the most of the mistakes we made, then start for scratch and react. Having said that, we’ll need to play much better because on Sunday we played well under our potential. Besides, Monza is in great form, they can play excellent volleyball. We’ll need to improve on the break and serve. We have to focus on ourselves and believe that we can do much better”.
Emanuele Zanini (coach Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza): “One single game for a qualification, the context will make it a totally different game than Sunday’s. Modena plays extremely well at home, they have great support from the fans. Hopefully, we’ll have everyone available, and Rooney back, even if he will not be hundred percent fit. We prepared the game very well, we’ll see what happens on court. In the last league game against Modena, you could see the improvement of the team, they played with more consistency, there is a positive basis to build on for the Cup game. We are extremely motivated, we can make it in Modena too”.
Itas Diatec Trentino – Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 17 (15-2 Trento)
PAST CUP MEETINGS: None
Trento in the cup
10 participation, 1 title (2010)
Vibo in the cup
8 participation, 1 title (A2 cup 2003)
Osmany Juantorena (Itas Diatec Trentino): “Careful at this Vibo team, they made it very difficult for us in the league a month and a half ago. They might not have big names, but they are certainly good players, they can give a game to anyone. If we want to go to the Final Four once more, we’ll have to be more alert than in yesterday’s game against Padova. This will be a spectacular game, thrilling and with an uncertain outcome. I hope our fans understand that and that they’ll come in numbers. We have to get this qualification all together”.
Gianlorenzo Blengini (coach Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia): “We’re travelling to Trento knowing we’re not going through a positive time since we have lost our starting setter, Manuel Coscione. We knew when he got injured things would get difficult. But that won’t stop us from playing focused even if the opponent is obviously not one of the easiest to manoeuvre. We’ll try to play our best volleyball and fight from start to finish”.
Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo – Sisley Belluno
PAST CUP MEETINGS: None
Cuneo in the cup
20 participation, 5 titles (1996, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2011)
Belluno in the cup: First participation
Hubert Henno (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “There will only be one chance, we have to be ready, focused and aggressive, we can’t afford to have lapses. In those cup ties, you either win or you go home. We’re up against Belluno: a really tough opposition. We cannot afford to get it wrong”.
Roberto Piazza (coach Sisley Belluno): “This will be a good game of volleyball, although very complicated for us. Cuneo was built to win, they have extremely experienced players and a deep roster, and whoever comes off the bench never disappoint. In such a knock-out game you can be sure the opponent prepared the game very well and they’ll be up for it in front of their fans. I think they’ll have Ngapeth back after missing the Roma game. We know how strong is Cuneo and how important is this game, but we’re used to fight every game as if it was a final, I know we’ll be playing this one focused and with fighting spirit. I am certainly curious to see how the team will behave in this first do-or-die encounter, I see my players extremely motivated, and rightly so, a Final Four place in Rome would be something fantastic for us and our fans”.
