Vero Volley to host Gas Sales in top duel as SuperLega tussle continues

The upcoming seventh leg of the Italian SuperLega Credem Banca will be highlighted by a big clash between fourth-placed Mint Vero Volley Monza and third-placed Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza that will close the weekend’s programme on Sunday, November 26, at 20:30 local time (19:30 UTC) at the OpiquadArena in Monza.

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

Each of the two opponents is on a 4-2 win-loss record with Gas Sales edging forward on 13 points, a point above Vero Volley. Both teams will be looking to rebound from the away defeats they suffered last weekend at the hands of the two current table leaders. Vero Volley lost in four sets to defending champions Itas Trentino Trento, while Gas Sales went down in a five-set battle against reigning club world champions Sir Susa Vim Perugia.

Furthermore, the team from Piacenza will try to recover from the loss they suffered at the club’s CEV Champions League debut on Wednesday, when Antoine Brizard, Yoandy Leal, Ricardo Lucarelli, Robertlandy Simon and their teammates were defeated in four sets at home by Türkiye’s Halkbank Ankara, featuring the likes of Micah Ma’a, Nimir Abdel-Aziz, John Gordon Perrin and Earvin Ngapeth. The squad from Monza also struggled in continental competition this week. They were the heavy favourites at their CEV Challenge Cup visit to Portugal’s Sporting CP Lisbon, but Fernando Kreling, Arthur Szwarc, Ran Takahashi, Eric Loeppky, Stephen Maar and the rest of the Vero Volley squad managed to overcome the opponent only after a five-set duel.

Vero Volley and Gas Sales have met nine times so far, always in SuperLega fixtures. The club from Monza lead the head-to-head series by five to four after emerging with four-set victories in both encounters last season.

Fifth-placed Cucine Lube Civitanova are close behind Vero Volley in the standings, also on 4-2, but just 11 points. Last season’s runners-up are the heavy favourites against Gioiella Prisma Taranto as they host the only winless team of the league this season on Sunday at 18:00 (17:00) and have a good shot at moving up the table. The match will mark head coach Ljubomir Travica’s official debut at the helm of Gioiella Prisma.

At the same time, Sir Susa Vim Perugia, who lead the standings on 6-1 and 18 points after winning their advanced ninth-leg game on Wednesday, will travel to ninth-placed Rana Verona (2-4 and 7), while the only undefeated team in the pack, defending champions Itas Trentino Trento, currently second on 6-0 and 16, entertain SuperLega rookies Farmitalia Catania, running second from the bottom on 1-5 and 3.

With both teams standing on 7 points, but three positions apart, it will be interesting to see the impact of the result between 10^th-placed Allianz Milan (2-4) and seventh-placed Pallavolo Padova Padua (3-4) as they meet on Sunday at 20:00 (19:00) at the Allianz Cloud.

The weekend will open on Saturday, November 25, with a game between another two teams standing on seven points each, eighth-placed Cisterna Volley (2-4) and sixth-placed Valsa Group Modena (3-3), starting at 18:00 (17:00).

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024 7th leg schedule:
Nov 25, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Cisterna Volley v Valsa Group Modena
Nov 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Farmitalia Catania
Nov 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Rana Verona v Sir Susa Vim Perugia
Nov 26, 18:00 local (17:00 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Gioiella Prisma Taranto
Nov 26, 20:00 local (19:00 UTC): Allianz Milan v Pallavolo Padova Padua
Nov 26, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Mint Vero Volley Monza v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza

SuperLega Credem Banca 2023-2024: full schedule and results

Quick links:
Lega Pallavolo SuperLega Credem Banca
VBTV
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
Subscribe to Volleyball World's Newsletter