Volleyball World - News

FINAL 41

Perugia and Trentino will duel two months after their encounter in the gold medal match of the Men's Club World Championship

Volleyballs will be flying everywhere this week!

While the Rupay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23 is only getting started in India, national leagues around the world are in full swing and this week is filled with exciting duels, with Italy, Türkiye, Brazil and Austria featuring some of the most promising ones – two of the top Greek teams will also battle, but in continental competition.

On the sand, while the Beach Pro Tour is on a break this week after concluding the 2022 season and starting the 2023 one in Doha over the last two weeks, some of the top teams from South America will be in action in San Juan, Argentina, in the second stop of their continental tour.

Here’s your guide for the next seven days:

Monday

Austrian Cup Finals: Ti-Rowa-Moser-Volley vs. Steelvolleys Linz Steg and Hypo Tirol Innsbruck vs. Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel

The winners of the 2022-2023 edition of the Austrian Cup will be determined on Monday, then the finals for both genders will take place. The women’s gold medal match will see Steelvolleys Linz Steg trying to secure their fifth straight title against Ti-Rowa-Moser-Volley, while defending champions Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel will face Hypo Tirol Innsbruck in the men’s final.

Tuesday

CEV Challenge Cup: Olympiakos vs. Panathinaikos Athens – 20:00 local time (18:00 UTC)

Greek rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos will clash in the first leg of their semifinal series in the CEV Men’s Challenge Cup. The encounter will feature an interesting duel involving former Italian national team teammates with London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Dragan Travica setting for Olympiakos and veteran outside hitter Jiri Kovar leading Panathinaikos’ scoring efforts.

Wednesday

Rupay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23: Kolkata Thunderbolts vs. Hyderabad Black Hawks – 19:00 local time (13:00 UTC)

Watch on VBTV

Defending champions Kolkata Thunderbolts are set to play their second match in the 2023 Rupay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23, against the Hyderabad Black Hawks. The Thunderbolts started their campaign on Saturday, with a 3-2 victory against the Bengaluru Torpedoes.

Thursday

Brazilian Women’s Superliga: Gerdau Minas vs. Osasco São Cristovão Saúde – 21:30 local time (Friday, 00:30 UTC)

Ranked second and third in the Brazilian Women’s Superliga standings respectively, Gerdau Minas and Osasco São Cristovão Saúde will face each other in the most exciting match of the week in Brazil. Minas have several players with national team experience in their roster, such as Olympic medallists Thaisa Menezes and Carol Gattaz and World Championship medallists Pri Daroit, Nyeme Costa and Kisy Nascimento while Osasco brought in Polish star Malwina Smarzek this season to join Olympic champions Fabiana Claudino and Adenizia Silva and national team libero Natinha Araujo.

Friday

South American Beach Volleyball Tour - San Juan (Argentina)

The second stop of the South American Beach Volleyball Tour is set to take place from Friday to Sunday in San Juan, Argentina, with 12 teams competing in each gender. Among the most popular teams in action will be Argentinean brothers Nicolas and Tomas Capogrosso, Brazilians Evandro Goncalves and Arthur Mariano and Chilean up-and-comers Noe Aravena and Vicente Droguett on the men’s side, with Chileans Maria Francisca Rivas Zapata and Chris Vorpahl and Argentinean Olympian Fernanda Pereyra and temporary partner Cecilia Peralta leading the way among the women.

Saturday

French Women's League: Neptunes de Nantes vs. Mulhouse Alsace - 20:00 local time (19:00 UTC)

Undefeated in their last five French League matches, league leaders Neptunes de Nantes will go on the road against fourth-place Mulhouse Alsace, who have four victories in their last five encounters. Nantes have a strong setter-hitter combo in Japanese national team playmaker Kanami Tashiro and Dutch international outside hitter Marrit Jasper while Mulhouse rely on Tokyo Olympian and Argentinean national team setter Victoria 'Vicky' Mayer and Swedish outside hitter Anna Haak, the older sister of Conegliano's superstar opposite Isabelle.

Sunday

SuperLega Credem Banca: Trentino Itas vs. Sir Safety Susa Perugia – 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC)

Watch on VBTV

The SuperLega regular season is set to enter its final month with each team having only four more matches before the playoffs and this week’s most exciting match is certainly the one between league leaders Sir Safety Susa Perugia and second-placed Trentino Itas. A rematch of last year’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship’s gold medal match, the encounter will see the home team trying to end Perugia’s winning streak that is currently at 18 matches in the Italian League before the start of the playoffs.

Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile: E-Work Busto Arsizio vs. Megabox Ondulati Savio Vallefoglia – 17:00 local time (16:00 UTC)

Watch on VBTV

Direct opponents in the race for a playoff spot in the Lega Pallavolo, E-Work Busto Arsizio and Megabox Ondulati Savio Vallefoglia will meet in a match that will likely be pivotal for their dreams of competing in the postseason. Busto currently rank eighth in the standings with 22 points (seven wins), two more than Vallefoglia, who are tenth also with seven victories.