Lube v Sir (source: legavolley.it)

Just four days after the thrilling five-set final of Supercoppa Italiana, Cucine Lube Civitanova will have the opportunity to get back at Sir Susa Vim Perugia in a SuperLega Credem Banca regular season game of this weekend’s third leg. And they can do so in front of the home fans at the Eurosuole Forum in Civitanova Marche at 18:30 local time (17:30 UTC) on Sunday, November 5.

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In Wednesday’s super cup final in Biella, Sir’s Tunisian opposite Wassim Ben Tara led his team to a flying comeback from two sets down against Lube and the club from Perugia managed to defend the trophy and continue the winning streak they have been on since the start of the season. They are still undefeated after four matches played between the SuperLega and the Supercoppa, and are one of the two teams that are yet to lose their first set in the league, standing second in the current table, below Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza only on point ratio.

Lube, on the other hand, have had their ups and downs, but are clearly picking up rhythm as the season has started rolling. Having suffered a heavy upset at home against Mint Vero Volley Monza in the season’s opening match, Luciano De Cecco and his teammates still owe their fans a first win in Civitanova. They bounced back with straight-set victories away from home, most impressively against Gas Sales in one of the Supercoppa semifinals a day before the setback against Sir in the trophy match. In addition to taking revenge for Wednesday’s loss, Lube will be keen to put a stop to Sir’s four-game winning streak in the head-to-head series over the last one and a half years, as well as tie the overall record, which stands at 32-31 wins in favour of the club from Perugia.

“We had the opportunities to win the final and bring home the super cup, but we didn't succeed. We played our game, we wanted to win and I think it showed. On Sunday in Civitanova, we will face Perugia again. To get there as best we can, we will have to let our heads cool down and get over the disappointment of this defeat, because the boys were very keen on this final.” Gianlorenzo Blengini, head coach of Cucine Lube Civitanova
“Victory is a nice deodorant. It smells nice. Then you need to know if there is any bad smell underneath, because later, when the essence goes away, the bad smell comes out. Obviously speaking about volleyball and its technical aspects, we must therefore carefully see what there is to improve also because, as we have seen, the level is very high.” Angelo Lorenzetti, head coach of Sir Susa Vim Perugia

In the other big highlight of the third-leg programme, Valsa Group Modena will host Mint Vero Volley Monza at 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC), also on Sunday. Valsa Group have already persevered through two five-set battles against powerful opponents, Allianz Milan and Rana Verona, to start their season with two victories. Bruno Rezende, Osmany Juantorena and their teammates will be eager to stay on the winning track, while Japanese star Ran Takahashi and the squad from Monza will try to bounce back from their straight-set loss to Sir at home last weekend and relive the joy from the first leg when they mastered a clean sweep of their game at Lube.

“It will be a tough match. They are a strong team and showed it in the first two legs. They will come here to win and we have to face them the way we faced Milan and Verona,” said Valsa Group’s libero Riccardo Gollini. “For us, the audience is fundamental. I think people perceive that we never give up and this helps energize the atmosphere.”

“Another very tough match, at the home of one of the strongest and best equipped teams in the SuperLega, an environment which, as we know, is always very hot!” commented Vero Volley’s head coach Massimo Eccheli. “For us it will be important to arrive very determined and focused.”

The third leg will open with the only game on Saturday’s programme, when Allianz Milan visit Cisterna Volley at 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC). Sunday’s competition day starts at 16:00 (15:00) with table leaders Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza entertaining SuperLega rookies Farmitalia Catania. At 17:00 (16:00), Gioiella Prisma Taranto welcome Pallavolo Padova Padua. Rana Verona and unbeaten Itas Trentino Trento will close the weekend with a game at 19:30 (18:30).

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 3rd leg schedule:
Nov 4, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Cisterna Volley v Allianz Milan
Nov 5, 16:00 local (15:00 UTC): Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza v Farmitalia Catania
Nov 5, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Gioiella Prisma Taranto v Pallavolo Padova Padua
Nov 5, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Valsa Group Modena v Mint Vero Volley Monza
Nov 5, 18:30 local (17:30 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Nov 5, 19:30 local (18:30 UTC): Rana Verona v Itas Trentino Trento