Superlega 2023

Vero v Verona in midweek SuperLega highlight

Watch the 16th leg of Italian SuperLega matches live on VBTV

Published 12:12, 23 Jan 2024

Ran Takahashi attacks against the block of Aleks Grozdanov and Nikola Jovovic (source: legavolley.it)

Ran Takahashi in attack against Rana Verona during the first half of the season

Midweek action in the Italian men’s SuperLega Credem Banca will warm up the fans ahead of the big Coppa Italia Final Four showdown over the weekend. In one of the highlights of the 16th leg, Mint Vero Volley Monza and Rana Verona, neighbours in the current standings, will lock horns on Wednesday in a direct battle for the sixth, or maybe even the fifth place. A total of five games will be played on Wednesday and one on Thursday, all with a starting time of 20:30 local (19:30 UTC).

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

Before hosting Verona in Monza, Vero Volley are sixth in the table on 24 points and an 8-7 win-loss record, just a point above seventh-placed Rana, but also just two points below fifth-placed Allianz Milan, who will be on a tough visit to defending champions and table leaders Itas Trentino Trento at the same. So the fifth place might also be well within reach for whoever wins Wednesday’s match in Monza.

Other that two losses to mighty Trentino, Verona have not sensed the taste of the defeat since early December, collecting six wins during that period. The last time they defeated Vero Volley, however, was almost a year ago, in early February, when they claimed a four-set win in Monza. Vero Volley celebrated in the next two head-to-head encounters. Most recently, on November 8, they produced a victory in Verona with the help of a 21-point match high from their Japanese star Ran Takahashi.

“Tomorrow's match is very important for the standings. Monza have maintained a very high level. Cachopa (Fernando Kreling) is the best setter in the league. It is a team with many experienced players, who know how to adapt quickly to variable situations. We have to try to get a result." Radostin Stoytchev, head coach of Rana Verona

With their fifth place at an imminent risk, but the fourth also within reach, Allianz Milan, currently on 26 and 8-7, will try to deliver an upset as they visit table leaders Itas Trentino Trento (40, 14-1). It would at least partially make up for the four defeats the team suffered over their last five matches between the SuperLega and the CEV Champions League, but it would be extremely difficult to achieve, at least judging by the historic head-to-head record, according to which Trentino have won 20 of the previous 23 encounters with Allianz, including the most recent three.

When the two teams met in Milan in November, Trentino claimed a away victory with a 20-point contribution from top scorer Alessandro Michieletto.

Milano vs. Trentino | Highlights | Superlega | 6a Giornata

“Our attention is entirely focused on this challenging match. We are in the middle of a period full of important events and we need to focus on just one at a time. We will find ourselves in the presence of a Milan team that compared to our previous match has grown further in its idea of the game and in its awareness of its capabilities. We will therefore need great concentration, a good approach to the match and continuity.” Fabio Soli, head coach of Itas Trentino Trento
“We know that we are playing against the top team in the standings, but not only that, it is also the team that is displaying the best volleyball in Italy these days. I believe that this match represents an opportunity for us to prove to ourselves and to others that we can compete against everyone in this league. We have already demonstrated it, but it is not enough to demonstrate it once or twice. We will have to pressure our opponents, starting with the serve and show our game even on a difficult court.” Marco Vitelli, middle blocker of Allianz Milan

Also on Wednesday, second-placed Sir Susa Vim Perugia (37, 12-3) host second-from-the-bottom Gioiella Prisma Taranto (11, 2-13), third-placed Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza (32, 10-5) travel to ninth-placed Cisterna Volley (16, 5-10), and fourth-placed Cucine Lube Civitanova (27, 10-5) visit bottom-of-the-table Farmitalia Catania (4, 1-14).

In Thursday’s only game, 10th-placed Pallavolo Padova Padua (11, 4-11) entertain eighth-placed Valsa Group Modena (19, 8-7).

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 16th leg:
Jan 24, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Sir Susa Vim Perugia v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Jan 24, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Cisterna Volley v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
Jan 24, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Rana Verona
Jan 24, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Farmitalia Catania v Cucine Lube Civitanova
Jan 24, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Allianz Milan
Jan 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Pallavolo Padova Padua v Valsa Group Modena

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

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