PERUGIA – One is out of breath just by thinking about it: for Sir Safety Conad Perugia it’s the third week in a row that the day after a Sunday match is also the eve of the next official match! It happened two weeks ago, with the SuperLega games against Padova and Monza. It happened last Monday, with the challenges against Molfetta first and Presov, in Cev Cup secondly. It happens today too because yesterday’s defeat has to be set aside. Tomorrow they will be playing the tenth match of SuperLega and it’s the second to last one of the first leg. The Block Devils will be playing against LPR Piacenza: the match starts at 6 PM, but the ticket office will open at 2.30 PM.
There would be a lot to write about yesterday’s great match in the PalaPanini. Coach Castellani’s black-and-whites lost, but they fought like lions, showing off a great volleyball and fighting back at each and every play against a team of high rank like Modena.
However, two of the Block Devils’ pillars, Simone Buti and “Mamba” Birarelli, talk about Dhl-Sir Safety Conad to turn this page, since it’s vital to move on.
«It’s a bitter pill to swallow – says Perugia’s captain – because in Modena we played on the same level. In sets so balanced, the single episodes are the ones that count and these were against us. We can certainly do better, but we proved to be a great team. So this defeat hurts, but we are looking to the future because the league doesn’t stop, there’s always a match to play immediately so we have to think about this extremely important one against Piacenza».
«I think that one of the things we certainly have to improve is serve, in handling mistakes but also in efficiency» says Birarelli. «But we were always there, it was a close call and we are back from Modena with many positive elements. We managed to limit Ngapeth, one of their important pillars. I think about the attitude on the field, that has to be the basis in these games and it was the right one. And I’m happy for Ron (Ed. Aaron Russell) who’s really a good guy, he gave his all these months even if he didn’t play much and in Modena he reaped the rewards of his hard work. Now our goal is to try to get six points in the last two games of the first leg, starting from tomorrow of course. We will have to be careful with Piacenza and try to win somehow. Maybe even not playing that well, maybe with the help of one of the most refreshed teammates, but we have to win».
Focusing on tomorrow’s challenge against LPR Piacenza, this afternoon Castellani and his staff will check the overall conditions of the team and do a training session giving space mainly to the tactical preparation of the match.
Regarding the team formation, considering the collective fatigue due to the tour de force certainly excessive and with Fromm still on the bleachers with last week’s injury to his ankle, the seven players will probably be the same as yesterday. So De Cecco-Atanasijevic diagonal in area two, Birarelli and Captain Buti central, Kaliberda and Russell outside hitters, Giovi libero.
We don’t even have to say it, but tomorrow they will need all the enthusiasm of the black-and-white supporters to bring home this three extremely important points for Coppa Italia. And there’s no better picture than the 400 in Modena, fantastic and fair.
The Block Devils’ opponent is LPR Piacenza, currently second to last with 4 points, but in this balanced SuperLega every opponent has to be treated with kid gloves. Coach Giuliani, with Manià and Papi injured, will probably send it at first the play maker Coscione, Luburic opposite, Patriarca and Tencati middle blockers, Perrin and Ter Horst outside hitters and Lampariello libero.
The highlight of Perugia-Piacenza is the Serbian challenge between Atanasijevic and Luburic in area two. The Block Devils have to with this match somehow.
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