Perugia aim for return to top of Superlega

Sir Safety Conad Perugia takes to the courts this season with one thing in mind only: dethrone Cucine Lube Civitanova and regain the title of the most prestigious national league in the world - Italy's SuperLega.

Perugia beat Lube in the Playoffs final series of 2018 for their first and only title in the history of the Italian League but lost out to their arch rivals in both 2019 and 2021 (with the 2020 edition cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic).

The core of last season's squad remains almost intact - though with the notable departure of Serbia's Aleksandar Atanasijevic (who has moved to Poland after eight years with Perugia) and Canada's Sharone Vernon-Evans (who will play in Japan).

But USA's Matt Anderson returns to action this season, following a year away from the court, and joins Perugia for their new campaign.

And Italy national team setter Simone Giannelli made the move to Perugia from Trentino to lead the side's playmaking in their bid to return to glory.

Luxembourg's Kamil Rychlicki is another newcomer to Perugia this season, after moving from rivals Lube and Latvia outside hitter Kristers Dardzans also joins the side.

Cuba-born Poland international Wilfredo Leon, last season's second-best scorer of the Italian League (after the Netherlands' Nimir Abdel-Aziz of Itas Trentino) will remain on hand to lead the side.

Alongside them, Argentina's Sebastian Sole continues with Perugia this season as does Fabio Ricci - the two of them forming a formidable blocking duo after both finished amongst the top five blockers of the league last season.

The Italian League begins on October 10, with the Regular Season set to wrap up on March 20, 2022, ahead of the Playoffs.

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