Italvolley, Azzurre ready for battle with hosts
Eve of Volleyball Nations League semifinal for Italy of CT Julio Velasco. Tomorrow at 4 p.m. the Azzurri will face in a packed Atlas Arena in Lodz, the hosts of Poland.
Access to the final is up for grabs, which just like last year in Bangkok will be decided at the end of the challenge with the Poles with on the other side of the scoreboard, irony of fate, a new crossover (as in the 2024 Finals) between Brazil and Japan respectively winners in the quarterfinals with Germany (3-0) and Turkey (3-2).
Italy, fresh off its 3-0 success over the United States in the Finals opening match, has undergone two days of intense work between the court and the weight room to arrive in the best possible way to the awaited match with Poland of Italian coach Stefano Lavarini.
Presenting the VNL 2025 semifinals are Italian players Carlotta Cambi and Alice Degradi, two of the ever-present players in this VNL and on court a year ago in the challenge, also a semifinal in Bangkok, against Poland.
“We are charged aware that against Poland it will be a great battle,
analyzed Degradi.
Compared to last year it will be a different match, we don’t have to think about that match anymore, because we are sure that it will be a different story. It will be very nice to play in a packed arena as the Atlas Arena will be tomorrow. Clearly we will have all the fans against us, something that by the way has already happened to us several times during the three weeks of the intercontinental phase, but I am sure it will act as a stimulus to do well. We are doing well, we are in a good moment and we come from a tournament played well so far and now we face the best teams in the world. We have to be ready for these kinds of matches starting with tomorrow’s match with Poland.”
“We are fine even though I think it will be a complex challenge,” began the Italian setter, “because we will have the whole crowd against us in a thrilling atmosphere. That said, we are ready with the desire to enjoy this semifinal in a match that is anything but a foregone conclusion. The semifinals board is identical to last year’s, it is something particular and unusual with different ranking crossings that have however led to this picture that is identical to that of the 2024 Finals. Having said that things definitely different than a year ago, we face a different Poland that will be able to count on the support of its incredible public. For our part we are training well, keeping our concentration high. Our training level is very good and we will try to play it to the end putting all the cards at our disposal on the table.”
