Italy finished the group stage as the undefeated leader of Pool D and one of the standout performers for the European team is Alessandro Bristot. The outside hitter is the top scorer of the Azzurra and he’s preparing with confidence for the first knockout match against Japan.

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Michele Zanin's team navigated one of the toughest pools in the 2023 FIVB Boys' U19 World Championship. Four victories against Chile, Mexico, Belgium and Brazil secured them the first place in the group as they head into the round of 16.

Their last match was against the South Americans in one of the most anticipated clashes of the preliminary phase. Italy managed to secure an important victory with a dominant performance from Bristot, who scored 17 points -15 attacks and 2 aces-.

Reflecting on the game, the outside hitter analyzed: "It was very difficult to maintain a good rhythm because Brazil is a great team and we knew it. We were very good in the first two sets, but from the third set on, we slowed down. In the end, we were strong enough to bounce back and take the fourth set to win the match."

With the top spot in the pool secured, Alessandro acknowledged his trust in his team for the round of 16 match against Japan: "We know that they are a very good team and play great defense, but we also know our chances. I believe that we can achieve a good result."

The confidence of the 18-year-old is well-founded: his team is none other than the reigning European champions. However, a focused Bristot emphasized that there is no room for relaxing:

"For sure we are a more united group after winning the European Championship, but on the other hand, there’s a negative side because we could get overly enthusiastic. We have to keep our feet on the ground and play as we always have."

The Trentino player, who draws inspiration from Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Lavia, is relishing his first World Championship experience: "It’s a big honor for me to be playing here and I’m really enjoying it" he highlighted.

With 60 points scored in the tournament, Bristot solidifies his role as one of the leaders of his team heading into the final round. While he doesn't deny Italy's status of favorite, he prefers to keep his ultimate goal for the World Championship a secret: "I can’t say my dream, but we all know what our goal is here."

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