Look out for Japanese face-off on Sunday

There's a treat in store when the Italian men's league returns to Volleyball TV this weekend, especially for Japanese fans. Kioene Padova and Allianz Milano go head-to-head at 20:30 local time / 19.30 GMT on Sunday in the last match of the round, and it will be a chance to see Ran Takahashi take on Yuki Ishikawa.

The two outside hitters have already played together on their country's national team, be it at last year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics or at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League. But now the two athletes will be playing for different clubs – Ishikawa leading Allianz Milano and Takahashi representing Kioene Padova. And it will be the first time the two players meet on opposite sides of the net.

At the age of 26, Ishikawa already enjoys the status of an icon in Japanese volleyball. He first joined the national team when he was 18 (he is now its captain), and it was also around that time that he started his first season as a professional player in Italy. His club career has seen him play for several Italian teams and before joining Milano last season, the 1.92m-tall outside also played for Padova.

1.88m-tall Takahashi, who is Ishikawa's junior by six years, seems to be following a very similar path. At 19, he joined the national team and immediately made a great impression at both the VNL and the Tokyo Olympics, playing alongside Ishikawa, whom the rising star definitely looks up to. Shortly after his debut with the national team, and straight out of college, he made his way to Italy to join Padova and get his professional career started.

Ran arrived in Italy just after Kioene returned from a 3-1 away loss to Milan and narrowly missed the chance for an immediate face-off with Yuki. However, this time, as Allianz pay back the visit, both Japanese players are available for an exciting head-to-head encounter.

There is a lot at stake for hosts Padova as they are in the middle of a huge scuffle for survival in the SuperLega. Five teams sit within a two-point range and, most likely, one will eventually have to join winless Consar RCM Ravenna on the way out of the elite division. Takahashi and his teammates are currently 11th, just above the relegation zone, but on the same number of points, 21, as 12th-placed Verona Volley, who also have a game in hand. Kioene, however, are just two points away from the eighth place in the standings, which paves the way to the playoffs.

Fifth-placed Allianz, on the other hand, are on 34 points with 11 wins in 20 matches. They are in a good place and practically have a spot in the eighth-finals guaranteed. They will certainly keep fighting, however, looking to snatch the best possible starting position in the playoff bracket.

Who will come out on top? Be sure to watch the match on Volleyball TV to find out.

• Get all the results, statistics, schedules and more on Volleyball World’s SuperLega 2021-2022 site.