Champions League, crazy comeback for Milan with Roeselare
Champions League, crazy comeback for Milan with Roeselare
Hard to expect a more hard-fought and exciting debut for Allianz Milano in Cev Champions League Volleyball 2024-2025. The first match of Pool C (4th round) saw the team of President Lucio Fusaro opposing the Belgian team of Knack Volley Roeselare, a formation of absolute compactness and equipped with some elements that make up the national team’s backbone. Setter Rotty’s 30 points could have sounded like a sentence. Instead, Allianz Milano’s large roster allowed coach Piazza to shuffle the cards throughout the match and, ball by ball to recover the initial 0-2 that would have probably cut off any team’s legs.
At the Scala of volleyball, the’former Palalido spruced up for the return of Europe’s top men’s volleyball competition, Allianz Milano presents an unprecedented 6+1. Coach Piazza starts sì with the Porro-Reggers diagonal, but he puts setters Gardini and Otsuka, at center captain Piano with Caneschi and free Staforini. There are no surprises among the guests, however. C’è veteran D’Ulst, former Civitanova in diagonal with the young and powerful opposite Dermaux, last year in Menen (Allianz Milano’s Cev opponent), in the middle the 35-year-old Coolman, at the Knack for a lifetime and the 23-year-old Lennert Van Elsen, receivers another veteran, Verhanneman with the 23-year-old Seppe Rotty, libero Dennis Deroey.
Starting. Otsuka (willà 6 points in the set) closes out the first long exchange after a monster recovery by Staforijni for 2-2. Caneschi’s ace is worth the first Allianz Milano break. Monster block by Regger on Dermaux and Vanmedegael stops the game for the first time at 6-3. Flame Roeselare, a square team, with “clean”game and very good in the correlation between wall and defense, which ties 7-7. Breack Knack and è Piazza having to break the match at 9-10. Gardini stings on the diagonal, but an ace by’former Lube D’Hulst makes it 15-12. On 15-17, Olympic two-time champion Louati enters on Gardini for serve. It’s still the Knack defense that is the protagonist: 15-19 and Piazza time out. In Kaziyski for Piano, Caneschi makes it 17-20. Barotto change for Reggers on 19-23, then Larizza on Porro (20-23), Roeselare has four setpoints to close, Barotto cancels one, but Coolman closes 21-25 and fifth point for the center. The three walls (to one) of the Flemish team together with 52% in attack, but especially with 78% positive reception (50%) perfect against 29% (14%) turn out to be decisive.
In the second set Milan drops Louati for Gradini and Larizza for Piano. Piazza calls for “ground ball” on a Belgian recovery. The Challenge doesn’t find the frame, point Knack 3-4. Dermaux hits from nine meters and on 4-6 Piazza spends a time. Otsuka plays on Knack’s hands, but the video challenge (that’s what the video check is called in Euroa) corrects, Belgian point. Again the Challenge corrects a point for the guests 6-8. D’Hulst speeds up the game even more, wall by Rotty 7-10. Larizza and Otsuka bring Allianz Milano back to -1 (10-11). New Roeselare break and on D’Hulst’s serve of 14-18 Piazza stops the game. Rotty’s serve comes out confirmed by Challenge, but Allianz è also foul on serve. In comes Van Hoywghen to bat for Van Elsen (17-20). On Otsuka’s next point (18-20) Vanmedegael stops the game. Dermaux’s ace sounds like a sentence on the set (18-22). Double change Allianz Milano inside Zonta on serve and Barotto opposite. Knack puts Wijkstra on D’Hulst. As in the first partial, the Flemings have 4 setpoints. Louati cancels the first, but the irrepressible Rotty closes 21-25 (9 points for him in the set). Roeselare è superior in wall (4-0) in attack (64-55%), so it is not enough for Piazza’s team the excellent reception performance also of Allianz (both teams over 60%) to win the set.
Damiano Catania also enters the fray, Louati makes his presence felt at the wall and Roeselare stops the game at 5-2 meneghino. On the return another monster block by the Frenchman on Dermaux. Otsuka with intelligence, Verhanneman responds. Louati passes over D’Hulst 11-8. Belgian team answers forò ball on ball. Breack Knack 14-13. Double change Allianz Milano on 16-14. Roeselare ties 18-18 on an attack out by Louati confirmed by video challenge. Rotty’s rare error puts Allianz back in front, but è Knack again to overturn 19-20 and time out Piazza. Kaziyski for Larizza on 20-20. On Reggers’ service turn Louati signs the lead 22-21 with time out Vanmedegael. Slash by Caneschi 23-22 è a thrilling ending. Caneschi’s serve è on court, corrected by Challenge: 25-23 and match reopened.
Tries to push full force Allianz, but the start of the fourth partial è still balanced, indeed the first tear è Belgian 4-6. Draw and overtake Milan on Porro’s service turn weighed by two Rotty errors 9-7. The dunker’s own short ace makes it 11-11. Caneschi’s second serve again, then Louati’s wall 14-12. Dermaux equalizes and overtakes with a lungoline ace: 14-15 and Piazza time out. Wijkstra on D’Hulst, but Louati knocks down 16-16. Up goes the game and the agonism again on Porro’s serve the Challenge corrects first 18-16 for Allianz Milano which then becomes 17-17 for a touch at the net. Knack time out on the’attack out by Rotty that makes it 19-17. On 20-18 Gardini for Otusuka: 21-18, but video challenge corrects touch to wall 20-19. Reggers stops Dermaux, then double change Allianz Milano (22-20). Roeselare time out on 23-21, Otsuka makes 24 on return, Barotto closes 25-22, we go to tie-break.
D’Hulst makes it up 2-2, then ace by Dermaux also the fifth set will be a battle. Reggers’ diagonal and è 4-4, but Roeselare still puts its head ahead. Porro and Larizza’s wall on Dermaux is worth the counterbreak 7-6. They change court on Rotty’s short ace (8-7) really explosive and technical player. Allianz Milano defense goes up, Catania è everywhere Reggers sign 9-8. Larizza’s wall on Verhanneman 10-8. Van Hoywenghen comes in to bat but misses. Gradini replaces Otusuka. It è still not over, Roeselare ties 11-11 and Piazza time out. Barotto also in for Porro with Belgian time out (12-13). Reggers gets the first match point (14-13). Rotty ties it goes to the advantages. Louati brings Milan back ahead. Closes an ace by Caneschi 16-14 really a good match from the point of view of emotions.
ALLIANZ MILAN – KNACK ROESELARE 3-2
(21-25, 21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 16-14)
ALLIANZ MILANO: Porro 2, Reggers 24, Gardini 3, Louati 21, Schnitzer ne, Piano, Staforini (L), Caneschi 10, Kaziyski, Larizza 3, Catania (L2), Zonta, Barotto 2, Otsuka 12. All. Roberto Piazza. Ass. Nicola Daldello.
KNACK ROESELARE: D’Hulst 1, Coolman 15, Van Elsen 6, Verhanneman 8, Rotty 30, Dermaux 23, Deroey (L), Siksna ne, Wijkstra, Van Elsen 8, Verhanneman 8, Lips ne, Van Hoyeweghen, Mills ne, Angillis (L2) ne, Haapaniemi ne. All. Steven Vanmedegael. Ass. Marcin Nowakowski.
Referees: Bruno Muha, Croatian from Zagreb and Laszlo Adler, Hungarian from Budapest
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Notes: spectators 1,024
Duration sets 29’, 33’, 28’, 32’ and 19’ for two hours and 21 minutes
Point serve Milan 4, Roeselare 7, Reception Milan 49% positive (22% perfect), Roeselare 63% (35%). Point attack Milan 55%, Roeselare 56%. Point walls Milan 7, Roeselare 10.
Paolo Porro’s words after the match: “I expected high level from the first game. Roeselare has a very strong setter and high level forwards. Kmack had studied very well the never distribution and they put us in difficulty. We però were very good at solving the situation with the changes. Those who è entered showed themselves to be always of the highest level. I think it is an important victory that crowned a historic debut in Champions for us in Milan”.
Coach Roberto Piazza“s comment: “To some it may have seemed to be on a roller coaster, but the credit è was definitely given to the opponent, to its crazy aggressiveness. Of course, a little bit of demerit è also ours, we were not able to close all the positive transitions that were created in the first, second and third sets. Now it will be my job to look for the details that can immediately improve the point construction. I am also very happy with the way we shot it”.
