The green soul of Consar Ravenna for the 2024/25 sporting year, established by the 10 out of 14 players born in 2000 and subsequent years, is also represented by Hampus Ekstrand and Simone Bertoncello. The two boys were presented this morning at the Pala Costa in a press conference, also in the presence of the first team coach Antonio Valentini.
Ekstrand, born in Falkoping on 28 October 2003, is the first Swedish player in the history of Ravenna men’s volleyball and at 202 centimeters the tallest player in this year’s Ravenna squad. He has just returned from two SuperLega seasons in Taranto, and from a summer with the national team with which he played two matches in the qualifying group for the 2026 European Championships. Hampus starts the summer in yellow and blue. “The first two qualifying matches were very important for us: we lost 3-2 at home against Switzerland and then we won 3-0 in Spain and that was, in my opinion, a great feat given the value of the opponent”. The impact with the Consar world was truly positive. “I found a family and a strong team – admits the Swedish spiker -. I will try to bring some of the experience I had in Taranto, where I found myself managing a huge leap in level compared to Sweden. The SuperLega is a top championship, with very strong players: competing in that context is a training ground for everyone.”
Bertoncello, born in Bassano del Grappa on 15 March 2007, grew up playing volleyball in his hometown club. He was part of the Under 17 national team that won the European Championships in 2023, Zlatanov was also in the team with him, and now he is preparing to face his first championship with the big boys after the two years in C and B in Bassano del Grappa.
