Superlega 2023

Will SuperLega season end this weekend?

Watch the Italian playoffs live on VBTV

Published 07:17, 27 Apr 2024

Sir v Vero Volley (source: legavolley.it)

Italy’s 2023-2024 SuperLega Credem Banca is entering an important weekend, when the season may come to an end and the new champions may be crowned. The fourth leg of the best-of-five final playoff will be played on Sunday, and depending on the outcome, the series will either come to a completion and Sir Susa Vim Perugia will triumph with the tile, or be extended to an exciting fifth match on Wednesday, if Mint Vero Volley Monza delight the home crowd and stun the club world champions again. The third place playoff is in a similar situation, with Allianz Milan holding a shot at the bronze medal on Saturday evening at home, while last year’s champions Itas Trentino Trento hope to level the series and push it to a deciding game on Tuesday. One thing is sure. The fifth place in the final standings will be issued on Saturday and either Rana Verona or Cucine Lube Civitanova will earn the right to compete in next season’s continental cups.

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Mint Vero Volley Monza v Sir Susa Vim Perugia

Reigning club world champions and Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia winners Sir Susa Vim Perugia are now one win away from snatching the second national title in the club’s history, but Mint Vero Volley Monza will have the home-court advantage at the Opiquad Arena, where the fourth match between the two teams will start at 18:00 local time (16:00 UTC) on Sunday, April 28. The hosts will, of course, do their best to level the series and force a fifth-match decider.

On Thursday, Sir claimed a 3-1 (25-15, 25-18, 24-26, 25-19) home victory over Vero Volley in the third game of the championship playoff to gain a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. They hosted the first match a week earlier and also won in four sets, 3-1 (27-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23), but in the second meeting last Sunday, Vero Volley celebrated their first-ever home game in a SuperLega championship final with a thrilling 3-2 (25-20, 23-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-11) win to tie it up. It was the first time this season the team from Monza managed to defeat their opponents from Perugia. After winning the other five encounters with Vero Volley, Sir lead the all-time head-to-head between the two clubs by 26-6.

“It's 2-1 our way. We have to go to Monza with the clear intention of playing for it from the first point.” Angelo Lorenzetti, head coach of Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Allianz Milan v Itas Trentino Trento

Unlike Sir in the gold medal playoff, Allianz Milan’s opportunity to close the bronze medal series comes on home ground, at the Allianz Cloud on Saturday, April 27, at 20:30 local time (18:30 UTC). And that’s against a team that has been in the role of title favourite pretty much throughout the season, last year’s champions, regular season winners and contenders in next week’s CEV Champions League final Itas Trentino Trento. Trentino may win the Champions League this season, but if they want to be in Europe’s top club competition next season, they have to win in Milan on Saturday and then once again in Trento on Tuesday.

After Trentino’s hard-fought 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-19, 15-11) home win in the first match of the series, Allianz struck back by winning the second game at home, another five-set battle that was decided deep into the tie-breaker, 3-2 (26-24, 17-25, 25-16, 25-27, 22-20). It was only the fourth time in history the club from Milan managed to beat their opponents, in 26 matches played, but they did it again in the 27th, they did it in Trento and they did it in straight sets. On Wednesday, Allianz hammered out a stunning 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-14) shutout of their hosts to step to within a win of a historic SuperLega podium and Champions League spot.

“We arrive at this match fired up, because we want to go to the Champions League. It is an objective that we have now declared. It will take a bit of everything to win, an important performance, because we are playing against a team that is in the Champions League final. We will have to be united until the end, no matter how the game presents itself.” Paolo Porro, setter of Allianz Milan
“We want to bring the series back to Trento on Tuesday for game five and we want to do it for us and for our fans. We are working with conviction to improve and we are close to recovering those few balls that can decide a set and the match. The trend is certainly favourable to Milan, but I am convinced that this can be reversed again. A very difficult challenge awaits us. However, each of us has the intention of making that extra contribution that could be decisive. It's time to put it into play.” Fabio Soli, head coach of Itas Trentino Trento
Rana Verona v Cucine Lube Civitanova

Rana Verona earned the right to host the final match of the fifth place playoffs, which will decide who gets Italy’s ticket to next season’s CEV Challenge Cup. The game starts at 18:00 local time (16:00 UTC) on Saturday, April 27, at the Pala Agsm AIM. After losing their quarterfinal playoffs to Sir in three games, Verona went on to compete in the fifth place playoffs round-robin phase and topped the final standings on 13 points and a 4-1 win-loss record. Then they delivered a four-set home win over Valsa Group Modena to qualify for this important final against Cucine Lube Civitanova. Meanwhile, Lube lost their quarterfinal playoff to Vero Volley after a five-game saga, then finished third in the first stage of the fifth place playoffs on 9 and 3-2, before squeezing out a five-set victory at Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza to advance to the final.

It will be the 52nd encounter between the two clubs. Lube have won 42 of the previous 51 meetings. It will also be their fourth match this season. In the previous three, the visitors always won. During the regular season, Verona claimed a 3-2 (22-25, 18-25, 25-16, 25-23, 15-12) comeback victory at Lube in December, but lost by 3-0 (27-25, 25-19, 25-22) at home in March. Earlier this month, they mastered a 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-17) shutout of their hosts in Civitanova in a fifth place playoff round-robin match.

“Civitanova are a strong team and a difficult opponent to face. When serving, they know how to do damage and make very few mistakes. It is the last match of the season for both teams and we will need very clear heads and a great desire to win, with help from the spectators, who will be fundamental as always. We will have to do everything and more to counter Lube...” Radostin Stoytchev, head coach of Rana Verona
“Unfortunately, in Verona we will not be able to field the unavailable (Enrico) Diamantini and (Aleksandar) Nikolov again. In the first stage, Verona conquered our court and we weren't able to express ourselves at our best, to the point that in the third set we somewhat gave up. The next match will be a different game from every point of view, because our attitude will be different. We will go there looking for the fifth place and a European pass!” Romano Giannini, head coach of Cucine Lube Civitanova

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 championship playoff – leg 4:
Apr 28, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Sir Susa Vim Perugia

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 third place playoff – leg 4:
Apr 27, 20:30 local (18:30 UTC): Allianz Milan v Itas Trentino Trento

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 fifth place playoffs – final:
Apr 27, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Rana Verona v Cucine Lube Civitanova

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

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