SuperLega UnipolSai League final
Final Game 1. Modena-Perugia
We already know the names of the teams that will represent Italy in Europe next season. Civitanova, Modena and Perugia will be in the Champions League, Trento in the Cev Cup, Piacenza in the Challenge Cup.
But now all the attention is on the SuperLega title series 2016. On the way to the final, Modena disposed of Padova in four games before knocking out Trento, vice European champions, in the semi-finals. And to do so, they made the breakthrough of winning twice in the PalaTrento arena. In their second consecutive final, they will benefit from the court advantage thanks to their better regular season position. Its best allies have been the block-dig area, the improvement towards the end of the season of the setter and outside hitter and the Vettori, MVP of the last game with 25 points.
Fifth in the regular season, Perugia defied all odds to reach this final. So close to go out in quarter-final Game 5 in Verona, they snatched it by the minimum margin in the tie-break. Then they took revenge on the epic final lost in 2014 against Civitanova. In Game 4, Kovac’s men showed they were in better shape and won 3-0. They come to this final galvanised and aware that all the pressure falls on Modena. Before the game, Earvin NGapeth will receive the MVP award of the semi-finals.
League playoffs, Final Game 1
Sunday 1 May at 6.15pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
Game 2
Thursday 5 May at 8.15 Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it Sir Safety Conad Perugia – DHL Modena
Game 3
Sunday 8 May at 5.30pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
Game 4
Thursday 12 May at 8.40pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it Sir Safety Conad Perugia – DHL Modena
Game 5
Sunday 15 May at 5.30pm Live on RAI Sport 1
Live streaming on www.raisport.rai.it DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
The protagonists of the final
DHL Modena – Sir Safety Conad Perugia
DHL MODENA (2nd). 32nd participation, 14th final
In 1985, Modena took part in the first of six consecutive finals. It was defeated in the deciding game 3 by Bologna. The first title came the following season with a revenge on Bologna (3-0 in the series). Three more title followed, every time at the expense of Parma. Same final again in 1990 but this time Parma came out on top. Then, there were a series of clashes with Treviso, with the titles won in 1995, 1997 and 2002, and finals lost in 1999 and 2003. Modena made its return in the final act in 2015 against Trento but they surrendered in 4 games.
SIR SAFETY CONAD PERUGIA (5ª). 4th participation, 2nd final.
In the young history of the club, there is already a league final played in 2014. Perugia would bow out to Macerata in four games.
Past encounters: 9 (5-4 Modena)
This season: 3 games: Modena won both regular season games (3-1 home then 3-2 away). Modena also had the better in the Italian Cup semi-final (3-1).
Precedenti nei Play Off: None
Angelo Lorenzetti (coach DHL Modena): “Two months ago, I said Perugia had its chances to go in the final because they have a very effective style of play. They limit their mistakes to the minimum and makes it hard for the opponent to build their game. At the time, they were not even at their best yet. Now they are and I expect some very tough games, with long rallies, given their great ability to play dig. Against Trento, we managed to come out of very complicated situations, which is an important, even crucial aspect. The way the teams handle the transition phases will make the difference”.
Bino Rizzuto (GM Sir Safety Conad Perugia): “We’re ready for the league final. We have prepared well for this opening game, we gained confidence throughout the playoffs, we’ve been playing at a high level. We are well aware of the the difficulties that brings such a game and strong opposition like Modena. We have maximum respect for them, but also great belief in our own abilities”.
HEAD COACHES
ANGELO LORENZETTI (DHL Modena). Took part in six finals. He led Modena to the title game in 2002 and 2003, winning its first title in 2002 against Treviso. In 2008 and 2009, he took Piacenza into the final. He played against Trento on both occasions, and triumphed in 2009. In 2015, he had the Modena supporters dreaming again with the first final of the club 12 years after the last. They will have another attempt at the title this season.
SLOBODAN KOVAC (Sir Safety Conad Perugia). The Serbian coach will make his second appearance in the league final. He led Perugia to the title series in 2014, when it was defeated in four games by Macerata.
Serie A2 Playoffs UnipolSai
Final Game 1. Vibo vs Sora
The two giants of the regular season will fight it out again for promotion in the SuperLega in a remake of the Italian Cup final (won by Vibo). The series will be played on the best of five.
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia is chasing the perfect season. Mastrangelo’s men won back to back Italian Cups, won the regular season and now they’re in the hunt for a place in the elite. Their run to this final was characterised by great consistency and a special ability to overcome the toughest challenges like in the cup final against Sora or in the playoffs semi-final Game 3 in Reggio Emilia. Pinelli and Michalovic are the stars who stand out but everybody made the difference at one point or another.
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora represents the most difficult obstacle for Vibo. Sora has been chasing the promotion dream for years, they really want it. In the past six years, they crashed out three times in the quarters and three times in the semis. They will fight for every point to try to take revenge on the cup defeat. With the silky hands of Fabroni, the talent of spiker Rosso and the spikes of Dutch outside hitter Hoogendoorn, Soli’s men have what it takes to win on the road too. They proved it in Vibo in the last game of the first half of regular season that handed them the title of winter champs. The three meetings this season ended up in a tie-break, and it’s no surprise. And it’s no surprise either that only one point separated the two clubs at the end of the regular season. There could not have been better final outcome than this match-up to seal the A2 season.
Serie A2 playoffs, Final Game 1
Sunday 1 May at 6pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 2
Wednesday 4 May at 8.30pm
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 3
Sunday 8 May at 6pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora Live on Lega Volley Channel
Game 4
Wednesday 11 May at 8.30pm
Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora – Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia Diretta Lega Volley Channel
Game 5
Sunday 15 May at 6pm
Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia – Globo Banca Popolare del Frusinate Sora Diretta Lega Volley Channel
