Italy determined to keep improving in Rotterdam

Rome: Reigning world champions Italy ended the opening week of the Volleyball Nations League 2023 on a high and they will try to carry their momentum into their next four matches in the tournament, which will take place this week in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Currently in ninth place in the standings with two wins in four matches, the Europeans will try to move up and end the second week of the VNL 2023 inside the qualification zone for the Finals, which will feature eight teams in each gender. The return of eight world champions is expected to significantly strengthen the Italian squad this week.

Head coach Ferdinando De Giorgi led a young roster in the opening week of the VNL in Ottawa, Canada, which had only five world champions in opposite Yuri Romanò, outside hitters Mattia Bottolo and Francisco Recine, middle blocker Leandro Mosca and libero Fabio Balaso, and he returned home satisfied with the results obtained.

Ahead of the second week, setters Simone Giannelli and Riccardo Sbertoli, outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Lavia, middle blockers Simone Anzani, Gianluca Galassi and Roberto Russo and libero Leonardo Scanferla were called up for a training camp in Cavalese and will all join the team in Rotterdam.

“As with any tournament, our goal is to continue improving,” De Giorgi said. “We will use the players who were working in Cavalese in the second week of the VNL. The plan is to mix the groups for the third week.”

Coming from back-to-back victories against Cuba and Germany, the Italians will face Iran in their first match in Rotterdam, on Wednesday, at 13:00 local time (11:00 UTC). On Thursday, at the same time, they face another Asian opponent in China. Both teams won one of their four matches in the opening week.

The Europeans will be back on the court on Friday, at 20:00 local time (18:00 UTC), to face Serbia. This could be a key match for the Italians as their European rivals are currently just above them in the standings, in eighth place, also with two victories.

If all goes well for the Italians, these matches should help them build their form for what’s expected to be the most difficult match of the week, Sunday’s duel with FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Rankings leaders Poland, who enter Week 2 in sixth place with three victories, at 12:30 local time (10:30 UTC).

Many other exciting matches are set to happen in Rotterdam this week, including the duel between the United States and Serbia, on Tuesday, at 16:30 local time (14:30 UTC), Wednesday’s European Derby between Germany and Poland at 20:00 local time (18:00 UTC) and Sunday’s encounter involving hosts the Netherlands and Serbia, on Sunday, at 16:00 local time (14:00 UTC).

Pool 4 will also take place in Europe, with the French city of Orléans hosting the national teams of Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cuba, France, Japan and Slovenia.

The VNL Preliminary Phase will feature three weeks of competition, with each of the 16 teams playing 12 matches. The eight best-ranked national teams in the Preliminary Phase will qualify for the Final Phase, which will be held in Gdańsk, Poland, from July 19-23 – host country Poland are already guaranteed a spot.