Gianni Petrucci: “It will not be a friendly.”

Petrucci happy to be back in Livorno

Ahead of the challenge with Ukraine, Fip president Gianni Petrucci also had his say.

“Livorno has never betrayed basketball, we wanted to come back here even though the rules imposed by the international federation are stringent and so we had to wait for the Modigliani Forum to adapt to what was required of us,” he explained. “The one that will play is a young national team but with clean faces and ready to perform well: the sold-out crowd is the confirmation that we have chosen well. We are not expecting a friendly match, we want to honor the commitment as best we can with Ukraine, which by the way was invaded by Russia a year ago, on February 24, 2022. Also because of these implications it will not be an ordinary match.”