Alan Nine
July 17 was driven less by transfer movement than by national-team positioning. The day connected three different timelines: the immediate race for the Volleyball Nations League Finals in Osaka, the closing result of the women’s sitting-volleyball world campaign in Hangzhou, and a late-summer international appointment already placed on the Italian calendar through the presentation of the FIPAV Cup Men Elite in Messina. Taken together, the coverage framed one active national-team day and one already important month ahead for Italian volleyball.
International
Italy will return to the court on Saturday, July 18, at 12:20 Italian time against Argentina in Pool 9 of the men’s VNL in Osaka.
The match comes in a clearly defined competitive context after Italy’s 3-0 win over Belgium. The Azzurri now have six victories and 20 points, provisionally sitting fifth in the overall standings, while the final matches against Argentina and Cuba will have a direct impact on qualification for the Finals and on the quarterfinal bracket.
Argentina opened its week in Japan with a 3-2 win over Canada before losing 3-2 to Cuba. The team is coached by Fabian Hugo Muraco.
The most recent meeting between Italy and Argentina came in the early-July friendly in Trento, won 3-1 by Italy. The historical head-to-head record now stands at 47 Italian victories in 64 matches.
Middle blocker Pardo Mati, born in 2006 and the youngest player in Pool 9, spoke ahead of the match after scoring 13 points against Belgium. He completed that performance with 90 percent attacking efficiency, one ace and three blocks.
His comments focused on the strength of the group, the importance of squad depth during such a compressed schedule and the need to approach both Argentina and Cuba as difficult battles in Italy’s pursuit of a place in the Finals.
FIPAV News
Italy’s women’s sitting-volleyball team ended the World Championship in Hangzhou in fifth place after defeating Ukraine 3-1 in the placement final. The set scores were 26-24, 24-26, 25-19, 25-21, allowing the Azzurre to match the fifth-place finish achieved in Sarajevo in 2022.
The European champions were defeated during the tournament only by Brazil and the United States, the two eventual finalists.
Ukraine’s Zhuk was the match’s top scorer with 33 points, while Italy had four players in double figures: Pedrelli with 13, Ceccatelli with 15, Cirelli with 15 and Battaglia with 14.
Head coach Pasquale D’Aniello described the result as important after two demanding weeks and said it confirmed Italy as the leading European national team on the international stage.
Events
Later in the day, FIPAV presented the Men Elite event that will bring Italy, Brazil, Cuba and Germany to Messina from August 28 to 31. The matches will be played at the renovated PalaRescifina and will be broadcast by Rai and Sky.
The tournament will form part of Italy’s preparation for its next international objectives under head coach Ferdinando De Giorgi. The presentation at the Salone delle Bandiere also emphasized the connection between the federation and the local community. Among those who spoke were mayor Federico Basile, territorial committee president Alessandro Zurro, regional president Antonio Locandro and federation president Giuseppe Manfredi.
Manfredi stressed the aim of bringing the national team closer to clubs, families and young players. The Messina event therefore represents more than a simple preseason tournament. It also reflects the federation’s intention to strengthen the connection between elite competition and the wider base of Italian volleyball.
