Fresh from a contract extension with Cucine Lube Civitanova and completing a recovery period following a retinal injury, coach Giampaolo Medei will be in Slovenia starting Tuesday with sporting director Marko Podrascanin. The coach of the Italian runners-up and the new manager will embark on their first official mission to inspect the Lube players competing in the second stage of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League and to keep an eye on other prospects.
“I reiterate how happy I am to be reappointed as Lube coach,” the coach began. “This club is special to me, and I’m proud to coach it. Our goals are ambitious, but we have the qualities to achieve them. I’m starting over with enthusiasm and determination. Especially now that I’ve put a delicate issue behind me. At the end of the tournament, I had to deal with a retinal detachment, a misadventure with a happy ending. I thank our medical director, Mariano Avio, who placed me in the care of Dr. Luca Borgioli, one of the best ophthalmologists in the region. The availability and timely care of this great professional, combined with the promptness of the Ophthalmology department at Fermo hospital, ensured that everything turned out well. I feel fortunate to have such excellent facilities just a stone’s throw from home.”
Medei is already thinking about the new season and is ready to head to Ljubljana. “I’ll be following the VNL matches with Potke to watch our players in action during the Slovenian leg and also to observe some potentially promising players for Lube’s future. I believe a club like ours must always be up-to-date and have frequent contact with top-level volleyball.” The coach also has clear ideas about Lube’s 2026/27 season: “The project will continue in the same direction,” he assures. “We’ll be starting with a young team with great potential, aiming to nurture talent and develop champions!”
