Mendez lets Flavio rest but thinks about ranking

The 2026 CEV Champions League will experience the last round of the group stage on Wednesday, February 18. Trentino Itas will fulfill its third continental engagement of the season within the friendly walls of Trento’s BTS Arena, hosting the Turks of Ziraat Bankkart Ankara: day six of Pool A. Kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m.: live on Sky Sport Arena, DAZN and Radio Dolomiti.

Thursday night’s success in Ljubljana gave the Italian champions access to the final stage of the competition for the 14th time in as many participations thanks to the mathematical certainty of second place in the group, a result that is worth qualifying for the round of 16. The match with the Turks still matters a lot, however, because it could guarantee the Yellow and Blues, in the event of a positive result, to be the best second in all five groups (as they currently are) and thus have an easier pairing on paper in the first double knockout round.

“Despite the fact that the ranking positions of both teams are already defined, the one against Ziraat Bankkart Ankara will be an important match for several reasons – highlights coach Marcelo Mendez -. The first among all is certainly related to the three points up for grabs, which would serve both us and the Turks to get the best possible ranking in view of the final table, but then there is obviously also the desire to compare ourselves again against one of the best teams in this competition to understand our current level of play. Often matches like this are worth more than many training sessions because they force you to be under pressure for its entire duration. It is a good opportunity to try to grow further, not only in the technical and tactical part but also in the temperamental one”.

Aldo Seghedoni

The Gialloblù will appear at the appointment without Michieletto and Flavio, with the latter kept on precautionary rest due to the lumbago that had stopped him shortly before Sunday’s match with Grottazzolina.