Superlega 2024/25 - News.

Lube v Trentino (source: legavolley.it)

The fourth match of the Italian men’s SuperLega Credem Banca championship playoff, which could also prove to be the last, is coming up on Wednesday evening. With the score in the best-of-five series standing at 2-1 Itas Trentino Trento’s way, the regular season winners could close it off with a win at Cucine Lube Civitanova. The home team, of course, will try to level things up again and push this final to a deciding fifth game on Sunday.

  • Watch the SuperLega on VBTV

The stands at the Eurosuole Forum in Civitanova Marche will be packed again on Wednesday evening for the sold-out game between Cucine Lube Civitanova and Itas Trentino Trento, set to serve off at 20:30 local time (18:30 UTC). If the trend of the home teams winning all the matches in this series so far persists, then the Lube fans will be pleased to see their favorites fight on for the title, while the Trentino fans will be at least happy that they will get to see yet another match between these two gigantic rivals at their home venue in Trento on Sunday.

Trentino mastered a 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-21) shutout of Lube in front of four thousand spectators in Trento to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Lube took their turn in shutting out the opponent at home in last Thursday’s 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-22) sweep of the second-leg game, tying the score in the championship playoff. On Sunday, back in Trento, the reigning European champions hammered out another 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-18) sweep and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

The long-lasting rivalry between Lube and Trentino has already had 106 editions, with the club from Civitanova leading the all-time head-to-head record by 57-49 in wins. The two teams have already met seven times this season alone, with four wins for Trentino and three for Lube. Besides the first three games of this playoff, Lube beat Trentino in December’s SuperLega home match and in January’s Coppa Italia semifinal, while Trentino defeated Lube in December’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship semifinal and in February’s SuperLega home encounter.

It is the fourth time in history these two clubs go face to face in a SuperLega final. In 2012 and 2017, Lube emerged victorious with the titles. Two years ago, in 2023, Trentino triumphed as champions. Trentino are now aiming at their sixth national championship crown, while Lube have already collected seven titles.

“In Civitanova we will have to win to even the score and take the final to game five. The home-court advantage is very important, we know it. That's why we are called to take one more step to be able to win this championship. Let's not give up!” Fabio Balaso, libero and captain of Cucine Lube Civitanova
“Civitanova knows our weak points and our strong points. On Wednesday we will face each other for the fourth time in this series, so we know each other by heart by now. Neither of us will be perfect. The one who has more patience will win or, as coach Fabio Soli said, the one who can handle better the strong moments of the other team.” Alessandro Michieletto, outside hitter of Itas Trentino Trento

SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 championship playoff, 4th leg:
May 07, 20:30 local (18:30 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Itas Trentino Trento

SuperLega Credem Banca 2024-2025 fifth-place final playoff:
May 10, 17:30 local (15:30 UTC): Valsa Group Modena v Allianz Milan