Superlega 2023

Sir against Lube: about to break the perfect parity

Watch the 14th leg of Italian SuperLega matches live on VBTV

Published 07:19, 13 Jan 2024

Lube’s Ivan Zaytsev ready for the block as Sir’s Simone Giannelli sets the ball during the Supercoppa final (source: legavolley.it)

Lube’s Ivan Zaytsev ready for the block as Sir’s Simone Giannelli sets the ball during the Supercoppa final

Sunday will be a real treat for the fans of Italian club volleyball as it offers all six games of the SuperLega Credem Banca 14th leg on the day’s programme. And the match between Sir Susa Vim Perugia and Cucine Lube Civitanova will be the cherry on the pie.

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

Second-placed Sir will host fourth-placed Lube at the Pala Barton at 18:00 local time (17:00 UTC) on January 14. The reigning club world champions and Supercoppa Italiana laureates are on 31 points and a 10-3 win-loss record, while last season’s SuperLega silver medallists are on 25 and 9-4. The squad from Perugia has not lost a single set over the last three games they played in the SuperLega and Coppa Italia, while the team from Civitanova has been alternating between wins and losses over their six most recent matches (in all competitions). On Tuesday, in the CEV Champions League, Lube suffered a five-set defeat at Romania’s Arcada Galati, which was a bit surprising despite the fact that the team had already secured the first place in the final pool standings.

Sir and Lube have already met twice this season, exchanging five-set victories. In the super cup final in Biella on November 1, the team from Perugia celebrated a dramatic 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-21, 34-32, 15-12) comeback from two sets down to claim the trophy, led by Tunisian opposite Wassim Ben Tara and Polish outside hitter Wilfredo Leon with 21 points each. Just four days later, the two teams met again for a SuiperLega game in Civitanova, which was just as dramatic as their previous encounter. This time Lube emerged with a 3-2 (20-25, 35-33, 25-21, 16-25, 22-20) victory, with Turkish opposite Adis Lagumdzija hammering out a 32-point match high. The overall head-to-head balance between the two clubs is also in a perfect parity of 32 wins each ahead of their 65th meeting in history.

Perugia vs. Civitanova | Highlights | Supercoppa | Final

“This season’s first two matches against Civitanova were two battles. I think and hope that the third on Sunday will be in line with the previous ones. We face a team and a club with great tradition and great mentality. We must prepare ourselves to try to stay on the court point by point and take advantage of opportunities when and if they arise.” Angelo Lorenzetti, head coach of Sir Susa Vim Perugia
“We must try to present ourselves at the Pala Barton with the awareness of the difficulties we will encounter, but also with the desire to put the best Lube possible on the court. This is needed, especially in certain matches! We are playing in one of the more balanced championships. This season many unexpected results appeared, especially between the top eight teams in the standings. Making predictions on the eve of matches is increasingly complex.” Gianlorenzo Blengini, head coach of Cucine Lube Civitanova

Rana Verona are entering the 14th leg on the wave of a five-game winning streak in the SuperLega, while defending champions Itas Trentino Trento have won their four most recent SuperLega matches to extend their victory run to eight matches across all competitions. However, it will have to end for one of them as they meet each other on Sunday. Table leaders Trentino, currently on 34 points and 12-1, host seventh-placed Verona, on 20 and 7-6, also at 18:00 local (17:00 UTC).

The two teams met recently in a Coppa Italia quarterfinal. On January 3, Trentino mastered a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-23) shutout of visiting Rana Verona with a 16-point match high from outside Alessandro Michieletto to advance to the semifinals. Trentino shut out their opponents in their previous two SuperLega encounters as well, while Verona’s most recent win over the club from Trento was a five-set home victory in October 2022.

In yet another clash between teams within the top eight of the current standings, sixth-placed Mint Vero Volley Monza (20, 7-6) entertain eighth-placed Valsa Group Modena (17, 7-6). The game starts at 17:45 (16:45).

Third-placed Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza (29, 9-4) will visit rookies Farmitalia Catania, who trail at the bottom of the standings on 4 and 1-2. The starting time is 16:00 (15:00).

Fifth-placed Allianz Milan (22, 7-6) host ninth-placed Cisterna Volley (13, 4-9) at 17:00 (16:00). At the same time, table neighbours Pallavolo Padova, 10th on 10 and 4-9, and Gioiella Prisma Taranto, 11th on 9 and 1-12, will meet in Padua.

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 14th leg:
Jan 14, 16:00 local (15:00 UTC): Farmitalia Catania v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
Jan 14, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Pallavolo Padova Padua v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Jan 14, 17:00 local (16:00 UTC): Allianz Milan v Cisterna Volley
Jan 14, 17:45 local (16:45 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Valsa Group Modena
Jan 14, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Sir Susa Vim Perugia v Cucine Lube Civitanova
Jan 14, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Rana Verona

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

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