The Block Devils are focused on the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against the Canary Islands’ Guaguas Las Palmas, scheduled for Wednesday evening, April 1st, in Perugia, with kick-off at 8:30 PM.
Having completed the Superleague playoff quarterfinal series against Monza in three games allows the team to remain focused exclusively on the European fixture, which will secure a spot in the Final Four, scheduled for Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th at the Inapi Arena in Turin.
On the league front, the Bianconeri are awaiting their semifinal opponent, Modena and Piacenza, who are currently tied in the best-of-five series and will play for the semifinal round next Sunday, March 29th, at 6 PM at the PalaPanini.
Meanwhile, the Lega Pallavolo Serie A has officially announced the dates and times for the first three semifinal matches: the Block Devils will play Game 1 at home on Easter Monday, April 6th, at 5:30 PM; Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday, April 9th, at 8:30 PM, away at Modena or Piacenza; and Game 3, again at the PalaBarton Energy, at 6:00 PM.
While waiting to find out who, between Modena and Piacenza, they will play in the Scudetto semifinals, the Block Devils are now focused on the upcoming Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Sergio Miguel Camarero’s Canarian team. This will be their fourth European clash this season, following the two group stage matches and Tuesday night’s match at the Gran Canaria Arena. The two teams now know each other well and know each other’s strengths, as Oleh Plotnytskyi confirmed after the first leg: “Compared to our last two matches against them, they’ve improved a few things, and they showed it at their home game. We played two sets well, then we dropped off a bit, then we got to the tiebreak very well, we approached it patiently, point after point, we didn’t waste any opportunities, and that’s very good because, let’s face it, it’s not easy, but we know we did our part. Now we’ll play in Perugia, and everything will be decided there! We have to win regardless, even if we’d won 3-0 or 3-1 in the first leg, we’ll still have to win the match. In the end, you have to win and play the second match by all means! We’re going to Perugia, with our own arena, with our people, and with our fans, and I’m sure we’ll play another good match.”
