Verona and Modena secured a semi-final spot in the 5th place playoff
The fourth round of the playoff group for 5th place in the Italian Credem Banca SuperLega brought important results that shaped part of the picture for the semi-finals in this phase of the competition.
Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina 0:3 Allianz MilanoIn a direct match between teams with Bulgarian participation, Allianz Milano with Matey Kaziyski convincingly defeated Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina, where current national player Georgi Tatarov plays, along with Denis Bardarov. Milano recorded a clean 3:0 game victory (25-21, 25-21, 25-23) as a guest at the "PalaSavelli" hall.
Matey Kaziyski started as a starter for Allianz Milano and showed a strong performance, finishing with 12 points.The most effective player for Milano was Ferre Reggers with22 points(MVP of the match), and Luati added 9. For the Grottazzolina team,Georgi Tatarov scored 8 points (1 ace), 55% positive reception, while Denislav Bardarov, who entered briefly in the second and third sets, did not manage to score.Milano dominated thanks to its stable reception, effective serving, and good blocking, managing to control the development of the first two sets. The third set was more contested, but in the end, the "eternal" Kaziyski with a decisive attack brought the clean victory for his team.
Rana Verona 3:1 Valsa Group ModenaIn another key match of the fourth round, Rana Verona defeated Valsa Group Modena, and both teams secured a place in the semi-finals of the 5th place playoff. Verona won with 3:1 games (25-19, 26-24, 21-25, 25-22). The match was contested, especially in the first two games, which Verona won with good performances at key moments and strong serving. Modena managed to take the third game, but in the fourth, Verona again showed better play and closed the match. Jose Miguel Gutierrez of Modena commented that his team did not play at the required level but promised a fight for first place in the group in the next match.
Cisterna Volley 3:2 Sonnepar PadovaIn the third match of the fourth round, Cisterna Volley prevailed over Sonnepar Padova with 3:2 games (25-20, 24-26, 21-25, 25-19, 15-8) after a hard-fought five-set battle. Cisterna showed strong blocking (12 successful blocks) and managed to return to victories, keeping their chances for a semi-final. Foure was a hero for Cisterna with 32 points and MVP of the match, and Bayram added 16. For Padova, Poro was the top scorer with 23 points. The loss complicated Padova's task of advancing. Tommaso Stefani from Padova pointed to small details and the opponent's strong serve as key to the defeat but expressed confidence that the team would prepare for the next important match.
Standings in Playoff Group 5th Place Credem Banca after Round 4:
Valsa Group Modena - 9 points
Rana Verona - 9 points
Allianz Milano - 6 points
Cisterna Volley - 5 points
Sonnepar Padova - 4 points
Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina - 3 points
The next, final round of the group stage is on April 27, 2025.
Schedule for the 5th (final) round of the Group – April 27, 2025, 5:30 PM:
Sonepar Padova – Rana Verona
Valsa Group Modena – Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina
Allianz Milano – Cisterna Volley
Format of the Playoff for 5th place:This playoff includes the teams that lost in the quarterfinals of the main playoffs, as well as those that finished 9th and 10th in the regular season. A single-round robin tournament is played (a total of 5 matches for each team). The first four teams in the final group standings qualify for the semifinals, and the winners play in the final. The semifinals and final are single matches hosted by the higher-ranked team. The winner secures a spot in the Challenge Cup 2025/2026.
Dates: Group Stage (April 6, 12, 19, 23, and 26), Semifinals (May 3), Final (May 10).
Photo: legavolley.it
