There are only two games to be played, and in this midweek round (29), the big clash is Trentino versus Treviso. Macerata keeps chasing fourth place as it faces Verona. Monza will try to add up to their 8-game winning streak in Vibo. Forli, which looks for points to stay up, travels to Modena, currently fourth. Loreto needs all three points against Pineto to have a chance to stay in the A1.
Round 29
Wednesday 17 March at 8.30pm
Itas Diatec Trentino – Sisley Treviso – Live on Rai Sport Più
Live streaming on http://www.raisport.rai.it/dl/raisport/multimedia/diretta.html
(Sobrero-Pozzato)
Marmi Lanza Verona – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
(Rapisarda-Padoan)
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Acqua Paradiso Monza
(Pessolano-Caltabiano)
Andreoli Latina – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
(Bartolini-Cesare)
Prisma Taranto – RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia
(Pasquali-Castagna)
Trenkwalder Modena – Yoga Forlì
(Satanassi-Gnani)
Esse-ti Carilo Loreto – Aran Cucine Abruzzo Pineto
(Perri-Giani)
CoprAtlantide Piacenza – RESTED
League table
Itas Diatec Trentino 66, Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo 60, Sisley Treviso 56, Trenkwalder Modena 53, Lube Banca Marche Macerata, Acqua Paradiso Monza, CoprAtlantide Piacenza 51, Marmi Lanza Verona 44, RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia 36, Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia 31, Prisma Taranto 27, Andreoli Latina 23, Yoga Forlì 18, Esse-ti Carilo Loreto 15, Aran Cucine Abruzzo Pineto 6.
1 game more: CoprAtlantide Piacenza, Marmi Lanza Verona
Itas Diatec Trentino – Sisley Treviso
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 27 (21-6 Treviso)
Osmany Juantorena (Itas Diatec Trentino): “There’s always a lot of adrenaline against Treviso, we have never had much success against them, so that’s a game we’d really like to win. Before thinking of winning the regular season, we really want to win this one to take revenge on the defeat suffered earlier this season, and get to the playoffs in form. The playoffs will be a whole different thing, it’s better to get there with the kind of confidence that only a win over Treviso can give you”.
Roberto Piazza (Sisley Treviso): “We’re facing the leaders, obviously a tough one, away from home as well. They have not much to play for in the regular season, they are almost certain to finish first, while we are fighting to stay third. So it could seem we’ll be more motivated to win, but that won’t be the case. At this level, everybody wants to win, let alone a team with such a competitive spirit. We won 3-2 in the first leg, but we had won our previous game, while this time we have just lost and that is never a good thing. Horstink’s fitness is worrying too: he had intestinal problems, he did not train for a few days, I really don’t’ know if he’ll be able to play against Trento. He had not played in the first meeting. They’ll have Birarelli, while Corsini was the one to play in the first leg. These are the small differences of what I hope will be a great volleyball game”.
Marmi Lanza Verona – Lube Banca Marche Macerata
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 11 (8-3 Macerata)
Robert Kromm (Marmi Lanza Verona): “The game against Macerata will be another test against a strong team which will help us prepare for the playoffs. We want to keep playing at a high level, our crowd always supported us and deserves it. It’s great to play at the PalaOlimpia and feel their support. We can’t get into seventh place no more but what mattered to us was to reach the playoffs and get one more time on court to show our worth”.
Alessandro Paparoni (Lube Banca Marche Macerata): “We had problems of consistency again against Cuneo, problems we’ve had during this season. This defeat really made it difficult for us to get into the top four positions, but I think the most important thing right now is to focus on our game. We must try to improve on the things we are not doing well before the playoffs. Verona will be a good test, it is probably one of the most in-form teams of the league right now with Monza”.
Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia – Acqua Paradiso Monza
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 1 (Monza)
Vincenzo Simeonov (Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia): “It was a great game against Modena. Once again, we proved we could take points against top level teams. It will be our last game in our PalaValentia gym, which is why we are eager to offer another thrilling game to our fans, who keep giving us great support”.
Mauro Berruto (Acqua Paradiso Monza): “Vibo is a great club, a splendid reality in Italian volleyball. We know for well they will try their best to do well in their last home game, this will be a battle. To be honest, I am glad to get into a playoffs mode, in which training is less important and what matters more if the capacity to rest and have the necessary energy level for the next game. Our positive spell goes on and it underlines our character and quality. It was a great game against Treviso, thrilling and played at a top level. We are aware of our ability now, weekly training is almost over. What matters now is the adrenaline of the games and I sincerely believe that all the players can’t wait to get started. Vibo is a quality team, an example for everyone on and off the court. It will be a real battle”.
Andreoli Latina – Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 15 (11-4 Cuneo)
Leondino Giombini (Andreoli Latina): “We want to do well till the end, so it won’t be a stroll in the park for Cuneo. It will be a real encounter and in front of our fans”.
Nikola Grbic (Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo): “Definitely an important game: a win would help us consolidate our second place and to face Sunday’s game with more composure. The situation would be easier in training, we could prepare better the Cev Cup semi final against Piacenza”.
Prisma Taranto – RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 9 (7-2 Perugia)
Federico Moretti (Prisma Taranto): “It was really great to help my team beat Loreto. If the coach wants me to, I’m ready for the game against Perugia too. Still, I respect what is the hierarchy in the team and ahead of me, there is Rivaldo. We’ll say goodbye to our fans and we want to do well in this last game, and maybe get them a nice victory”.
Vincenzo Di Pinto (RPA-LuigiBacchi.it Perugia): “We’ll play these last two games with the same determination as last Sunday against Piacenza. We’ll play hard and respect our opponent even if our main target is the Challenge Cup Final Four. We could also try some different options depending on the fitness of some players in order to prepare the big event at the end of March”.
Trenkwalder Modena – Yoga Forlì
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 9 precedenti (7-2 Forli)
Marco Cosimo Piscopo (Trenkwalder Modena): “It will be a very difficult game. Let say that both teams will be extremely motivated: they need points to stay up, while we want to stay amongst the top teams. We know we’ll need to play at our best to win this one and fight right till the last play. Besides, the playoffs are around the corner so we have to maintain a high level of play, and if possible, even improve”.
Alberto Casadei (Yoga Forlì): “We’ll not play with much pressure in Modena, against a great team. I think we’ll do well, we really need a good performance. We’ll have to focus on what happens on our side of the net, this would help to play better, more freely, our aim being to take points”.
Esse-ti Carilo Loreto – Aran Cucine Abruzzo Pineto
PAST ENCOUNTERS: 10 (5 each)
Marco Marzola (Esse-ti Carilo Loreto): “We’ll have to play with our strength to beat Pineto and stay in with a chance to stay up, which we want at all cost. We’ll have to give it our best shot and get the three points, which could help us catch up Forli in the table. We want the win, we want it as well for our fans in our last game of the season in our PalaSerenelli gym”.
Roberto Fant (Aran Cucine Abruzzo Pineto): “Physically and technically, this will be a different team than the ones we’ve faced of late. Shame to get to that point with so many defeats suffered and so many players missing. The boys will give their all to keep having fun and get out of the court with their heads high, which they did as well against Trento. Despite the defeat, we can underline some positive things such as Sborgia’s performance, who did very well as a spiker, and also the positive debut of young Centorame. Modica will surely play more loosely on Wednesday after finding his marks as a setter during a whole game on Sunday”.
