Italvolley: Velasco Sounds the Alarm Despite Four Straight Wins

Italy secured its fourth consecutive victory and fourth 3-0 win at the 2026 Women’s Volleyball European Championship. The Italian national team defeated Slovakia in straight sets at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, solidifying its lead in Pool D. Head coach Julio Velasco had to do without outside hitter Ekaterina Antropova and libero Eleonora Fersino, who were replaced by Stella Nervini and Ilaria Spirito, respectively. Once again, Paola Egonu led the way for Italy as the match’s top scorer, while Myriam Sylla and Sarah Fahr also showed promise.

Despite the lopsided result, the first set required some adjustments. Slovakia, in fact, put the Italian team in difficulty, especially with its outside hitters, also taking advantage of a few lobs. However, Italy gradually raised the level of its serve and fine-tuned the balance between blocking and defense, ultimately taking control of the match: “In the first set, there were several moments when we faced some difficulties. Our serves were weak, they received very well, and they caused us problems, especially with their outside hitters,” Velasco explained via the federation’s channels. The head coach also highlighted the team’s ability to contain the Slovak opposite hitter, who is usually one of the team’s leading offensive players.

The Argentine coach then turned his attention to a mental aspect he’s been working on with the team for some time. According to Velasco, Italy must avoid wasting energy trying to immediately analyze every mistake made: “Sometimes it seems that, when something doesn’t work, there’s an immediate need to figure things out. That’s not the case. If we’ve done something wrong, we just need to focus on the next ball—that’s all,” he explained.

This is a concept that Velasco considers fundamental, especially during the decisive moments of major competitions. “During the Olympic year, we spoke very little, and even during the World Cup year—in the semifinal and final matches, which were extremely difficult—we didn’t talk: we were always thinking about the next play,” recalled the head coach, urging the Italian women’s team to rediscover that same mindset. “If something goes wrong, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something to clarify: there may have been a technical error, or we may not have understood a game situation, but the next play will be different. I don’t like it when the team talks too much,” he added.

Now, however, Italy faces its first real test. On Wednesday, August 26, at 4:00 p.m., the Italian women’s team will face France in a match to determine first place in the group. The French team is also undefeated and has racked up four consecutive victories without losing a single set.