Vero Volley v Trentino (source: legavolley.it)

No more beating around the bush! The winner of the semifinal series between Itas Trentino Trento and Mint Vero Volley Monza will be known on Sunday evening. The deciding match to determine who will face Sir Susa Vim Perugia in the Italian 2023-2024 SuperLega Credem Banca championship series starts at the ilT quotidiano Arena in Trento at 18:00 local time (16:00 UTC). The penultimate fourth leg of the round-robin phase in the fifth-place playoffs will also be played this weekend to provide some answers as to who will progress to the semis.

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Itas Trentino Trento v Mint Vero Volley Monza

Defending champions and regular season winners Itas Trentino Trento have been the dominant team in the SuperLega since the start of the season and hardly anyone expected their semifinal playoff against Mint Vero Volley Monza would be pushed all the way to a crucial fifth match, especially after Trentino took a 2-0 lead in wins, with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-22) sweep of the first match at home and a convincing 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-18, 25-18) win in the second match away.

However, here it is... The fifth game is on the programme and will have to decide the second finalist, after Vero Volley stunned their opponents twice, by 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-27, 15-13) in Trento and by 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-11) at home, to level the best-of-five series at two wins each.

Having the home-court advantage for the fifth match and still leading the all-time head-to-head between the two clubs by a solid 29-6 in wins, Trentino are still the favourites, but Vero Volley have already proven that that does not mean much...

“Monza played well throughout the fourth match. We were still close in the third set and then, in the fourth, we collapsed, but this team did not deserve to end the match like that. There are obvious merits of Monza, but in that situation we were no longer us. We have to learn the lessons ahead of game five. We knew the conclusion of this series could get to that...” Fabio Soli, head coach of Itas Trentino Trento
Fifth-place playoffs

The fourth leg of the fifth-place playoffs will start on Saturday, April 13, with Rana Verona hosting Valsa Group Modena at 20:30 local time (18:30 UTC). Verona are currently second in the standings on 7 points and a 2-1 win-loss record, and a win over Modena, who are bottom of the table, in sixth place on 2 and 1-2, would secure their spot among the top four for the semifinals.

On Sunday, at 17:00 (15:00), undefeated table leaders Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza (8, 3-0) will visit fourth-placed Pallavolo Padova Padua (3, 1-2) and could also stamp their ticket to the semis with another victory.

“We want to end the season in the best way and the only way is to win these playoffs, which will give us a place in Europe for next season. Up to now we have done well. Now a difficult match awaits us with Padova, who always do well in front of their fans. I expect a tight match.” Robbert Andringa, player of Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza

In the last game of the weekend, at 18:00 (16:00) on Sunday, fifth-placed Cucine Lube Civitanova (3, 1-2) will entertain third-placed Cisterna Volley (4, 1-2), as both sides try to stay well in contention for the last four.

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 semifinal playoffs – 5th leg:
Apr 14, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Mint Vero Volley Monza

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 fifth-place playoffs – 4th leg:
Apr 13, 20:30 local (18:30 UTC): Rana Verona v Valsa Group Modena
Apr 14, 17:00 local (15:00 UTC): Pallavolo Padova Padua v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
Apr 14, 18:00 local (16:00 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Cisterna Volley