Round 12 is hardly over and it’s already time for the eight qualified teams to fight it out in the Italian Cup quarter-finals as the first legs take place on Tuesday night. The four teams that come out of it will take part in the Final Four, scheduled on February 6-7 in Assago’s Mediolanum Forum on the occasion of the Volley Land, back seven years on.
Modena obtained the best position possible thanks to its win over Padova to become winter champ while Civitanova was defeated in Trento. Modena had not been winter champ for 18 years. It is also the holder of the competition, the 2015 edition won in front of 6000 fans over Trento was the 11th trophy of the club. Eighth in the table, Monza will host the first leg of this tie as they celebrate their first ever participation. So far in three meetings, Lorenzetti’s men have only taken one set against Modena.
Civitanova lost that first place at the last gasp by being beaten by the Italian Champions of Trento. They will travel to Latina (7th) where the coach is Blengini, who worked for Civitanova in the past. Civitanova will start its hunt for a fifth triumph in the competition. Latina will try to register one first victory in the cup but it won’t be easy as they have to deal with injuries occurred to Mattei and Yosifov in the last round. But it’s not mission impossible either as Latina had managed to knock out Civitanova out of the playoffs last season.
Trento (3rd) and Molfetta (6th) will meet in the cup for the first time. Trentino went close to its fourth triumph in history last season but eventually surrendered to Modena in the final. This is Molfetta’s first ever qualification but they are very dangerous on home soil. Besides, they have already beaten Trento twice in four meetings, the last time was last November 25. Big blow ahead of the tie, coach Radostin Stoytchev will not be on the bench of either games against Molfetta as he was given a two-match ban after last year’s final.
Perugia and Verona can’t seem to bear thinking of having to face a different opponent in the cup. They will meet at this stage of the competition for an incredible third time in a row. Buti and co moved above their opponents in the final rush thanks to a better set difference and that will give them the privilege to play the return leg at home. While Perugia won the two previous cup ties on a 3-0 score, it’s not been the same story in the league where Verona won twice, the last one on a 3-2 score, which was the win that got the Venetian team up into fourth place. Perugia made it into the final in 2014, lost against Piacenza.
Del Monte® Italian Cup SuperLega – Quarter-finals first leg
Tuesday 22 December at 8.30pm
Gi Group Monza (8) – (1) DHL Modena Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Braico-Simbari)
Calzedonia Verona (5) – (4) Sir Safety Conad Perugia Live on Lega Volley Channel
(La Micela-Pol)
Ninfa Latina (7) – (2) Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Bartolini-Goitre)
Exprivia Molfetta (6) – (3) Diatec Trentino Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Saltalippi-Gnani)
Del Monte® Italian Cup SuperLega – Quarter-final return leg
Thursday 14 January at 8.30pm
*one live game on RAI Sport 1, the others live on web Lega Volley Channel
DHL Modena (1) – (8) Gi Group Monza
Sir Safety Conad Perugia (4) – (5) Calzedonia Verona
Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova (2) – (7) Ninfa Latina
Diatec Trentino (3) – (6) Exprivia Molfetta
Del Monte® Italian Cup SuperLega – Final Four
Mediolanum Forum – Assago (MI)
Saturday 6 February (Schedule to be revealed soon)
Gi Group Monza – DHL Modena
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 3 (Modena won them all)
Monza in the Cup:
2 participations in the A2: in 2013-2014 (final lost vs Padova), and in 2011-12 (quarter-finals vs Molfetta=
Modena in the Cup:
14 participations in the A1
11 trophies: 2014-2015 vs Diatec Trentino, 1997–1998 vs Alpitour Traco Cuneo, 1996–1997 vs Alpitour Traco Cuneo, 1994–1995 vs Sisley Treviso, 1993–1994 vs Maxicono Parma, 1988–1989 vs Sisley Treviso, 1987–1988 vs Camst Bologna, 1985–1986 (first in group of four), 1984–1985 (first in group of four), 1979–1980 (first in group of four), 1978-1979 (first in group of four).
Oreste Vacondio (Coach Gi Group Monza): “It still hurts to remain empty-handed from yesterday’s game. We played good volleyball at times and we found ourselves ahead on several occasions but a bit of emotions and lack of experience meant we did not seal the sets. Overall I am happy with the performance of my boys, they are getting better in every department of the game, day after day. Games like the one against Trento indicate us the work to be done, because they really expose our flaws. We want to play with the character and attitude seen on court yesterday, which is something we’ll need to maintain all season long. Modena is one of the strongest teams in the world, even if I think after our game against Trento they will have more respect for us”.
Andrea Sartoretti (GM DHL Modena): “This is a very important game in our season. Among our targets, there is obviously the Italian Cup and the quarter-finals are an obstacle we have to overcome to reach the Final Four, which will be a great event. Monza is definitely a well-built team, and their results are testimony. This will be our last game before the break, we need maximum focus and get a good result given that this season the number of sets matter as well for the qualification”.
Calzedonia Verona – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 13 (9-4 Perugia)
Verona in the cup
4 participations: Semi-finals in 2005 (vs Vibo Valentia).
Perugia in the cup
3 participations:Final in 2014 (vs Piacenza), semi-final 2015 (vs Trento).
Aidan Zingel (Calzedonia Verona): “Here comes another important game against Perugia. We’re back in action very quickly, we have to recharge our batteries as much as we can. We’re playing many games in quick succession, it’s important to maintain a high level of play and try to hold on physically. Our goal will be to get another victory”.
Boban Kovac (coach Sir Safety Conad Perugia): “Verona is a team that plays excellent volleyball. Without Starovic, they have two great offensive weapons in Sander and Kovacevic, who we did not manage to stop in the last encounter. Then, when our serve started to go in and they had to play more high balls, we got better but at the end in the tie-break, when Sander had to come out, I think we threw it away. Never mind, we have to focus on Tomorrow’s cup game now. I think we have what it takes to give a game to Verona, but this is something we have to prove on court. This is an extremely important game, we’ll need to be ready from the get-go and not wait to be 2-0 down to play”.
Ninfa Latina – Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 39 (31-8 Civitanova)
Latina in the cup
10 participation: Semi-final 2003 (vs treviso), semi-final 2007 (vs Roma).
Civitanova in the cup
21 Participations: Winners 4 times in 2001 (vs Treviso), in 2003 (Vs Treviso), in 2008 (vs Roma), and in 2009 against Cuneo.
Gianrio Falivene (Vice President Ninfa Latina): “It’s already a tough game as it is so without our middle blockers injured it will become ever harder. But there are always great games against Civitanova with the arena packed. We could see with Sunday’s tie-break that this team gives its best when it is in trouble. So I won’t risk myself with any predictions”.
Dragan Stankovic (Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova): “This is a crucial game, the Italian cup is one of our goals this season and we want to start with a positive result. This will be the last game in 2015 before the break. We’ve played so many games in two months, we’ll need one last effort to try to win in this PalaBianchini arena, which we know well and we know how tough it is to win there. We’ll need our best volleyball to win this first leg”.
Exprivia Molfetta – Diatec Trentino
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 7 (5-2 Trento)
Molfetta in the cup: First ever participation in the SuperLega cup.
Trento in the cup:
14 participations: Winners three times, in 2010 against Cuneo, in 2012 and 2013 against Macerata.
Antonio Antonaci (President Exprivia Molfetta): “Every year, we go one step higher. We’re all very proud of this first qualification in the Italian Cup. This is an extra motivation to stay close to this team. We’re at the end of 2015, an extremely satisfying year, and we’d like to end it on a good note in front of our amazing fans. Against Modena, we had many opportunities to seal the sets, we have to build on that. Trento will surely have prepared the game better than on the previous occasions they came down in Molfetta. They want to win the trophy but we’ll give it our best shot as we’ve always done”.
Filippo Lanza (Diatec Trentino): “This is a crucial encounter. We have to make one last effort and work hard till Tuesday night to try to take revenge on our defeat in the Apulia region in the league. It would be a mistake to look beyond this game. It’s true there will be the return leg but we have to get the best result possible on this one to try to enjoy our rest and come to the return leg with an advantage”.
On Tuesday night there is also Reggio Emilia versus Sora, a postponed game of round 10. Reggio will try to put an end to a five-game losing streak, the last one in Monterotondo against Civita Castellana (third in the table). Winners against Castellana Grotte in the last round, the Sora players will try to take all the points at stake to catch up Vibo Valentia, who’s currently top of the table three points ahead.
Round 10 (Postponed game)
Tuesday 22 December at 8.30pm
Conad Reggio Emilia – Globo Banca Pop. Frusinate Sora Live on Lega Volley Channel
(Venturi-Fretta)
League table
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia 29, Globo Banca Pop. Frusinate Sora 26, Globo Scarabeo Civita Castellana 25, Maury’s Italiana Assicurazioni Tuscania 21, Potenza Picena 21, Sieco Service Ortona 16, Cassa Rurale Cantù 16, Emma Villas Siena 14, VBC Mondovì 13, Materdominivolley.it Castellana Grotte 12, Club Italia Roma 10, Centrale del Latte McDonald’s Brescia 9, Aurispa Alessano 9, Conad Reggio Emilia 7.
1 game in hand: Globo Banca Pop. Frusinate Sora, Conad Reggio Emilia
