Superlega 2023 - News.

Massimo Colaci

When Massimo Colaci turns 40 next February, he will still be defending the colours of Sir Susa Vim Perugia, according to the one-season contract extension the experienced libero signed with the club from Perugia.

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Massimo Colaci is already into his seventh season as a Sir player. Having played in 323 matches for the club so far, he helped earn two FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship titles, in addition to one national championship title, four national cups and five national super cups in Italy. Colaci is the only player to have contributed to all of Sir’s major trophies. This season alone, he and his teammates have already claimed three of these trophies and are well within reach of a fourth after finishing second in the SuperLega Credem Banca regular season standings and advancing to the upcoming playoffs.

This comes on top of Colaci’s already glorious club and national team career. During his seven-season tenure with his previous club, Trentino Volley Trento, the 1.80m-tall libero collected three club world titles, one CEV Champions League crown, three SuperLega titles, two Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies. He made his Italian national team debut in 2014 and made his last appearance with the blue jersey at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. As a member of the squad, Colaci picked up an Olympic silver medal at Rio 2016, in addition to silver or bronze hardware from the FIVB Volleyball World Cup, the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup, the FIVB Volleyball World League and the CEV European Championship.

“I really want to play and I'm overjoyed to be able to do it again in Perugia, a place that has become home for me and has actually been home since day one,” Max Collaci told sirsafetyperugia.it. “I am very happy to continue with this club, with these guys with whom I get along really well, with this environment and with these fans. I try to enjoy the moment. I always have and even more so now that there are only a few years left to play. I try to enjoy every moment spent in the gym, every workout... This year I promised myself to enjoy even the uncomfortable bus journeys because it's all part of the world, in which I was born and raised and in which I am living. I consider myself very lucky to do what I do and to do it at a club like Sir Susa Vim Perugia. And then I have a lot of fun; if we want to find a secret, it's the fun I have.

“Being the only player to have won all the trophies of this club is a source of great pride for me, but naturally, I wish Perugia to continue winning even when I'm no longer on the court. I must say that from the first day I arrived here, the thought of being the first to win with this club was something that always stimulated me a lot. We can still achieve a lot and we will certainly try to add more trophies to put in the showcase.

“It has certainly been a season full of satisfaction so far, because we have brought home three trophies. There have also been some defeats in the championship this season and some difficult moments that we have had to analyze and try to understand in order to move forward. From tomorrow, however, it will be a spectacular end to the season for everyone. There will be four quarterfinals absolutely open to any result and this uncertainty makes everything more beautiful and difficult, and will give even more value to whoever manages to win.”

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 22nd leg: 
Mar 3, 17:30 local (16:30 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Cisterna Volley
Mar 3, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza v Valsa Group Modena
Mar 3, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Allianz Milan v Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Mar 3, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Farmitalia Catania v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Mar 3, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Pallavolo Padova Padua
Mar 3, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Rana Verona v Cucine Lube Civitanova