Lega’s playoff race could end this weekend

The lineup of the 2023-2024 Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A Tigotà playoffs could be completed this week, as the country welcomes the matches of the 12^th and second-to-last leg of the second round of the regular season on Saturday and Sunday.

With four teams – Wash4Green Pinerolo, Megabox Ondulati Savio Vallefoglia, Roma Volley Club and Trasportipesanti Casalmaggiore - still on the hunt and three spots up for grabs, the Italian League will have four matches on Saturday and three on Sunday in this critical moment of the season.

• Watch Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A1 matches live on VBTV.

Pinerolo, Vallefoglia and Roma remain in control of their faith as the three sides are tied in sixth place with 34 points (11 wins) and need to collect just one more point in their two remaining matches to advance. Casalmaggiore, on the other hand, need a lot to go their way as they’re currently in ninth place with 28 points (nine wins).

One match alone could determine the final situation of all four teams involved in the race as Casalmaggiore play at home against Vallefoglia on Saturday at 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT). The hosts will need a 3-0 or 3-1 win to remain alive and any result different than that will send them out of the race, handing their three contenders the precious playoff berths.

Despite their critical situation, Casalmaggiore are in excellent form, having won six of their last eight matches, the last of which was against Pinerolo, and are determined to continue fighting for as long as they have a chance.

Vallefoglia have faced a difficult schedule lately, earning two wins in their most recent five matches. On Saturday, they have the opportunity to end the playoff race for good and they don’t want to waste it.

Also involved in the playoff race, Pinerolo and Roma can book their spots in the postseason if they earn points in their matches, but they have tough opponents in their way – Pinerolo will be on the road against league leaders Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano on Saturday at 20:30 local time (19:30 GMT), while Roma visit second-placed Savino Del Bene Scandicci on Sunday at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

Bergamo and Cuneo fight against relegation

The race to avoid relegation could also come to an end this weekend as the two teams that are still threatened by the risk of dropping to the Italian second division, Honda Olivero S. Bernardo Cuneo (18 points, seven wins) and Volley Bergamo (15 points, four wins), both have critical matches on Sunday – Itas Trentino (eight points, two wins) don’t have any more hopes of remaining in the elite.

Lega Femminile - Match Schedule and Results

Bergamo, who still have three matches to play before the end of the regular season (they will face Trentino on Wednesday), need to earn points in their road match against Igor Gorgonzola Novara on Sunday, at 19:30 local time (18:30 GMT), to keep the dispute open regardless of the outcome of Cuneo’s home match against Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri, which will happen simultaneously.

If Bergamo don’t earn any points against Novara and Cuneo take all three against Cuneo, then Bergamo will join Trentino in the second division next season, as although they would still be able to catch their opponents in points, they would still be behind in wins.

Completing the weekend schedule in Italy will be the match between Allianz Vero Volley Milano and Il Bisonte Firenze, on Saturday, at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), and the duel involving Trentino and Uyba Volley Busto Arsizio, on the same day, at 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT).

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Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A1 Tigotà
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