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TRANSFER MARKET
Conegliano: Gabi renews until 2028/29 (three-year deal)
CONEGLIANO – Prosecco DOC A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano have secured Gabi through 2028/29: the Brazilian outside hitter, born in 1994 and signed in 2024, will remain with the Panthers for three more seasons. Gabi linked her decision to both the sporting and human environment she has found in Veneto: “Staying in Conegliano is the right choice for me, I’ve found an ideal situation,” and she highlighted the opportunity to work “alongside the best players in the world, with a highly qualified technical staff,” as well as feeling “comfortable and truly valued,” which she considers essential to perform at her best.
Her message also underlined the connection with the area and the supporters: “It’s a great happiness for me to stay here,” and the belief that Conegliano offers the conditions to keep chasing trophies and personal growth. Co-president Pietro Maschio framed the renewal as a strong sign of continuity and of the club’s pull: “We are proud of this announcement,” adding that her choice confirms the strength of “the Conegliano reality,” while also anticipating that “more announcements are coming soon, in the name of continuity.”
Cuneo say goodbye to Sedlacek: mutual contract termination
CUNEO – Cuneo Volley have announced the end of their relationship with Croatian outside hitter Marko Sedlacek, with the two parties reaching a mutual termination during the season. In the statement, the club thanked the player “for the dedication and professionalism shown” and wished him the best for his next professional step, bringing his time in the white-and-blue shirt to an early close.
Offanengo: Barbieri is back on the bench, appointed head coach
OFFANENGO – Trasporti Bressan Offanengo have appointed Leonardo Barbieri as head coach of their women’s A2 team. Born in 1967, the coach returns to the Crema area bench after a previous stint that began in December 2018 in B1, when he took over mid-season and led a comeback run that reached the promotion final to A2. Barbieri has already led training and begun work ahead of the Survival Pool (starting Sunday, February 1), with the club’s declared goal to stay in the division, following the recent addition of setter Alice Turco.
General manager Stefano Condina explained the decision: “In these years at Offanengo I’ve called Barbieri twice and he has always said yes, with enthusiasm,” before summarizing the challenge: “Eight matches to secure the division.” Barbieri, who takes over after Fabio Collina (who had been guiding the team following Giorgio Bolzoni’s departure), starts from a place he knows well: Leonardo Barbieri said, “I’m starting with confidence and calm,” and pointed to the key mental aspect of the Survival Pool: “Whoever can stay serene and fully embrace this new phase will be able to save themselves.”
MATCHES
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Lube sweep in Warsaw: 3-0 and top spot with a perfect set record
WARSAW (Poland) – Cucine Lube Civitanova won 3-0 away at PGE Projekt Warszawa (18-25, 21-25, 24-26) in front of 3,288 spectators and remain top of their group with three wins and a 9–0 set record. Nikolov led the scoring with 19, with Loeppky and Bottolo also in double figures. Lube built the win with a clear edge at the net (7-3 blocks) and a stronger reception line (50% positive vs 36%), alongside a 50% attack rate compared to Warszawa’s 40%. Group play resumes on January 27, when Lube host Leuven.
Perugia overpower Berlin: 3-0 and still leading Pool C
PERUGIA – Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia defeated Berlin Recycling Volleys 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-14) to claim their third win in Pool C, in front of 3,155 spectators. Ben Tara topped the scores with 18 (including 3 aces), while Plotnytskyi added 11. Perugia posted very high attacking numbers (70%, with 37 kills on 53 swings) and made a strong impact from the service line (9 aces), with only the second set staying truly balanced.
Ziraat beat Trento in Ankara: 3-0, the second set proves decisive
ANKARA – Itas Trentino fell in the third round of Pool A, as Ziraat Bankkart Ankara won 3-0 (25-15, 33-31, 25-22). Trento’s main regret is the second set, where they held six set points without converting. MVP and top scorer was Nimir Abdelaziz with 21. Trento’s best scorers were Michieletto (12), Ramon (11) and Faure (10). Ankara controlled the key numbers: 9 blocks to 4, 65% in attack to 48%, and a more solid reception line (61% positive vs 44%). Trento complete the first half of the group phase at 2 wins and 1 loss; the return leg restarts on January 29 at home against Tours.
CEV CUP
Piacenza win in Soria: 1-3 in the Round of 16 first leg
SORIA (Spain) – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza took the first leg of their CEV Cup Round of 16 tie, winning 1-3 at Rio Duero Soria in 93 minutes. Bovolenta was top scorer with 23, followed by Gutierrez (13) and Mandiraci (11), while Comparoni recorded 4 blocks. Piacenza made the difference with team blocking (13) and closed at 52% in attack despite a more difficult passing night (46% positive, 17% perfect). The return leg is set for January 28 at PalaBanca (8:30 pm). The winner will meet the winner of Jastrzębski Węgiel vs Akaa Volley in the quarterfinals.
A2 Coppa Italia: semifinal pairings set
MODENA – The quarterfinals of the Del Monte Coppa Italia Serie A2 produced three home wins and one away upset: Brescia overturned home court at Aversa. The semifinal bracket is now complete: Pineto–Ravenna and Prata di Pordenone–Brescia, with the expected date Wednesday, February 4 (official scheduling to follow).
Pineto swept Siena 3-0, led by Krauchuk (15) and Allik/Di Silvestre (11 each). Ravenna defeated Lagonegro 3-1 after a slow start, with Dimitrov (19) and Zlatanov (18), while Cantagalli scored 19 for the visitors. Prata edged Sorrento in a tie-break (15-10) after being pushed back from 2-0, with Terpin (22) and Ernastowicz (18); Sorrento had 16 apiece from Parraguirre and Brignach. Brescia won 1-3 at Aversa, driven by Lucconi and Cavuto (18 each).
POLLS
De Gennaro wins the 20th-round MVP poll: voting now open for Round 21 on Volleyball.it+
MODENA – Monica De Gennaro won the “Migliore delle Migliori” poll for Round 20 of Serie A1, collecting 26.09% of the votes. On Volleyball.it+, the Round 21 poll is already live, exclusively in the app, with Davyskiba, Degradi, Cambi, Nardo, Piva, Ognjenovic and Wolosz in the running.
INTERVIEW
Davyskiba: “Piacenza is a key challenge. Modena will always remain in my heart”
MODENA – Ahead of Saturday’s match against Piacenza, Davyskiba reflected on Modena’s up-and-down week: the big win over Trento followed by the loss to Monza. The Belarusian outside hitter pushed back on the idea of a collapse: “It wasn’t one of our worst matches. We lost two sets in overtime, so the score doesn’t tell the whole story,” and he pointed to what must improve: “We struggled in side-out, especially on balls pushed off the net.”
On the team’s mindset: “We can beat stronger teams and lose to those behind us, because whoever plays better wins. Volleyball is like that.” Personally, he acknowledged a season with mixed moments: “In some technical aspects I’m satisfied, in others less.” On transfer rumors linking him to Russia, he stayed cautious while confirming an end-of-season separation is defined: Davyskiba said, “Modena will always remain in my heart,” and postponed any further discussion. The focus is now on Piacenza: “It will be a difficult match,” and he believes efficiency on out-of-system receptions could be decisive. The stated goal: protect fourth place and secure playoff matches at PalaPanini.
OBITUARY
Luciano Gaspari has passed away: a leading figure in Italian and international refereeing
MODENA – The Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) expressed condolences following the death of Luciano Gaspari, a former top-level referee and a prominent figure in Italian and international officiating. Born in Ancona in 1952, he began refereeing in 1969 and reached the Olympic stage at Athens 2004. His career included over thirty years in Serie A1, seven seasons with FIVB status, and twenty finals officiated across men’s and women’s championships, as well as numerous Coppa Italia finals. In 2015, he was elected President of European Volleyball Referees within the CEV.
In 2019 he became the first referee inducted into the Italian Volleyball Hall of Fame. Federation president Giuseppe Manfredi remembered him with these words: “Luciano Gaspari was a reference point for the refereeing movement and for Italian volleyball as a whole… On behalf of the entire Federation, we stand close with affection to his family, to his son Marco, and to everyone who cared for him.”
SERIE B
Invicta–Arno suspended after Baracchino’s serious injury: no sanctions, match to be replayed
GROSSETO – The Serie B men’s match between Invicta Solcaffè Grosseto and ToscanaGarden Arno was suspended in the second set (5-5) after a serious injury to Enrico Baracchino, a 22-year-old middle blocker who landed awkwardly from a block and reportedly suffered fractures to tibia and fibula, requiring ambulance transport to hospital. Arno were leading 1-0 (17-25).
Both teams chose not to resume the match. While noting the regulatory requirement to complete games “whatever the conditions,” the Federation recognized the exceptional nature of the incident and ordered the match not to be homologated and to be replayed in full, with the Competitions Department tasked with rescheduling. Statements also highlighted the immediate assistance on court and the solidarity shown, turning an unfortunate episode into a fair-play example acknowledged by sports justice bodies.
