Absent against Wimore Parma, he returned to Brugherio last Saturday. At first he took over Davide Stoppelli, then in the tie-break coach Marco Bartolini gave him confidence by deploying him from the start. Piergiorgio Antonaci therefore resumed his place as center back of ErmGroup San Giustino in the last half of the game, the one that at first seemed lost, which then saw the overtaking of the blue-and-whites from 7-13 to 14-13 and which in the end ended on 17-15 for the Chemical Range. The Apulian player has the task of commenting on this point which – as already highlighted – smacks of bitterness for ErmGroup. “Yes, in fact, even when the bowls are still, I admit that it is so – Antonaci declares – because it was a game that could be taken home. There was an opportunity to also forfeit the three points, but at least two could have been taken. Of course, we fought until the end: we started ready, we wanted to try to win, but thanks to our opponents, who made life hard for us”. What are the explanations for this subtle final difference in favor of the Lombards? “I repeat: they were good and I deserve them for what they did in defense and blocking. These are the moments in which we sinned by lucidity: we had the desire to put the ball on the ground and not succeeding created difficulties for us. We didn’t have the necessary patience, partly due to a lack of confidence in our game. Let’s then have a couple of decisive episodes in the third set, with the touch in reception on a ball destined to go out, which gave rise to the ace of 30-28 for Brugherio. Then, in the final phase of the fifth set, the block on Hristoskov actually decided the match, but this is the beauty and the ugliness of volleyball”. Beyond all this, you have expressed yourself well only in fits and starts; Could this also have affected the result? “We almost always dictated the pace of the race. We were determined, but they came out: on the other hand, they are a team of young people who, as such, always prove to be difficult, because when they get excited they are capable of doing great things”. As for your fitness conditions, how do you feel at the moment? “I’m fine, I’ve recovered after a delicate period due to injuries and I work in the gym to get to 100% in the shortest possible time, then by nature I’m positive and therefore an optimist about our next match. Let’s hope we can win it.”
