Superlega 2023

Gas Sales versus Allianz: take two!

Watch the 13th leg of Italian SuperLega matches live on VBTV

Published 06:01, 06 Jan 2024

Gas Sales’ Yuri Romano trying to overcome Allianz’s three-man block (source: legavolley.it)

Gas Sales’ Yuri Romano trying to overcome Allianz’s three-man block

Just three days after the thrilling five-set quarterfinal between Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza and Allianz Milan in the men’s Del Monte Coppa Italia, the two teams will meet in Piacenza again for SuperLega Credem Banca 13th-leg encounter on Saturday, one of the weekend’s highlights in Italy. In another top-calibre match, Sir Susa Vim Perugia will host Mint Vero Volley Monza on Sunday.

  • Watch Italy’s SuperLega Credem Banca live and on demand on VBTV.

At the turn of the 2024 calendar year, Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza are third in the current standings on 27 points and an 8-4 win-loss record, just a point below the second place. Their opponents Allianz Milan are in fifth place on 21 and 7-5, just a point below the fourth place. So, each of the two teams can potentially rise up the table with a win in Saturday’s match starting at 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC).

Wednesday’s five-set saga in Coppa Italia did not produce a winner before the tie-breaker was pushed deep into overtime and finally Allianz’s better blocking effort tilted the balance towards a away victory. While their young playmaker Paolo Porro celebrated the Most Valuable Player award, Japanese outside hitter Yuki Ishikawa led the squad from Milan with 19 points, while his Brazilian counterpart Ricardo Lucarelli produced the match high of 23 points for Gas Sales.

With that success, Allianz extended their winning streak to six consecutive games in all competitions, including Europe’s CEV Cup, but also put an end to the opponents’ seven-game winning run in the head-to-head series between the two clubs. The team from Milan achieved their previous success against the squad from Piacenza exactly two years ago, on January 6, 2022. The two clubs have met a total of 14 times, with Gas Sales leading the series by 10-4.

“We face Milan a few days after they beat us in Coppa Italia, a heavy defeat that brought a lot of regret. We know that we are facing a strong team. They demonstrated it a few days ago. I believe that this will be another long match. We want to continue our run in the championship in the best possible way and we will do everything to win this match.” Francesco Recine, outside hitter of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
“We will go to the court knowing that it's a different match from the one on Wednesday for the cup - two very close challenges with Piacenza. They will be even fiercer, but so will we. We return to the PalaBanca with the awareness of our means and adrenaline, which is the motto of this 2024.” Matteo Piano, middle blocker of Allianz Milan

Reigning club world champions and Supercoppa Italiana laureates Sir Susa Vim Perugia entertain Mint Vero Volley Monza on Sunday at 18:15 local time (17:15 UTC). The home team stands second in the table on 28 points and a 9-3 win-loss record, trailing three points behind leaders Itas Trentino Trento. Vero Volley are sixth on 20 and 7-5 and have a shot at climbing back up to the fourth place they occupied before losing their last SuperLega match to Cucine Lube Civitanova at home. The squad from Monza got back at Lube in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals, while Sir shut out Valsa Group Modena. So, two of the cup semifinalists will meet on Sunday in a big league match-up.

The two clubs have previously met 31 times, with the one from Perugia winning 24 of these encounters. Most recently, in a second-leg match in late October, Sir delivered a hard-fought away victory in Monza, when Polish outside Kamil Semeniuk led the team to success with 14 points, while Canadian opposite Arthur Szwarc put away a match-high 15 points for Vero Volley.

“Now let's think about Sunday and the match against Monza. We will try to grow further and improve our things. It will be a very high-level match against a team that has high numbers and is playing really well.” Simone Giannelli, setter of Sir Susa Vim Perugia
“We are diving back into the championship where, unfortunately, in the last two outings we have not managed to bring home even a point. For us it will be important to exploit the positive effect of the Coppa Italia win to go to Perugia with the right determination. We will have to manage as best we can in a match-up that promises to be very difficult. Sir are very solid and in shape, playing with confidence. We will have to be aggressive: we will put all our energy into play, without sparing anything, to try to play the best match possible.” Massimo Eccheli, head coach of Mint Vero Volley Monza

Monza vs. Perugia | Highlights | Superlega | 2a Giornata

Saturday’s programme offers one more game starting at 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC). Last season’s silver medallists Cucine Lube Civitanova, currently fourth on 22 and 8-4, will host ninth-placed Pallavolo Padova Padua (10, 4-8).

The other 13th-leg matches are scheduled on Sunday. The competition day will start at 17:00 (16:00) with Gioiella Prisma Taranto, 11th on 9 and 1-11, welcoming defending champions and table leaders Itas Trentino Trento (31, 11-1).

An hour later, at 18:00 (17:00), there will be an exciting clash between two teams standing on 17 points each, as seventh-placed Valsa Group Modena (7-5) entertain eighth-placed Rana Verona (6-6).

The weekend will end with a game between 10th-placed Cisterna Volley (10, 3-9) and 12th-placed Farmitalia Catania (4, 1-11), starting at 20:00 (19:00) in Cisterna di Latina.

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 13th leg:
Jan 6, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Pallavolo Padova Padua
Jan 6, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza v Allianz Milan
Jan 7, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Gioiella Prisma Taranto v Itas Trentino Trento
Jan 7, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Valsa Group Modena v Rana Verona
Jan 7, 18:15 local (17:15 UTC): Susa Vim Perugia v Mint Vero Volley Monza
Jan 7, 20:00 local (19:00 UTC): Cisterna Volley v Farmitalia Catania

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

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