Julio Velasco wants a'Italvolley as… Federica Brignone

“From the Winter Olympics we received two lessons: on the one hand, the skater Malinin who was given by everyone as a favorite, but fell three times at the decisive moment. On the other is the feat of Federica Brignone who arrived serene at her races coming back from a very serious injury and accomplished a feat that will be remembered for centuries. She raced relaxed after her injury because it was already a victory for her to be at the Games. We must not have an obligation to win but to play better than others. I think we will make it.”

Julio Velasco, coach of the women’s national volleyball team, entrusts two images from the Winter Olympics with the meaning of the challenge that awaits the Azzurri. At Palazzo Lombardia, during the presentation of the blue summer that will culminate with the European Championships, the coach points to mental lightness and freedom from pressure as the key to facing the upcoming commitments. “I would like to win them because I have never won them with the girls,” Velasco adds.

But the coach immediately warns against the most dangerous risk after recent successes: “The best way to lose is to keep celebrating, so we have to think we have lost. While we see our celebrations, the others have anger, hunger and can’t wait to beat us.”

The list of summoned players will be delivered on May 13, but the backbone of the group will remain the one that won the last World Cup, with one heavy absence, that of Monica “Moki” De Gennaro, who announced her retirement from the national team. “It’s a loss but I’m not worried. There are players capable of replacing her. There will be new things, starting with Antropova in the ‘four,’ and we will launch new players who will have to overcome the emotional burden of wearing the national team jersey. To those who have played the most in recent years, I will give two months off until the third VNL tournament.”