The Russian volleyball clubFakel Novy Urengoyis preparing for the new season with ambitious transfers, attracting two high-class players: Italian opposite Yuri Romano and American setter Micah Ma'a.
🇮🇹 Yuri Romano – opposite with international experience
Yuri Romano, born on July 26, 1997, in Monza, Italy, is an established opposite with an impressive career. After four seasons in Serie A2 (Potenza, Bergamo, Siena) and as many in the top league with Milan and Piacenza, he joins Fakel Novy Urengoy. With the Italian national team, Romano won the Universiade in 2019, the European Championship in 2021, and the World Championship in 2022. His transfer to the Russian club was confirmed by Fakel's coach, Roman Empolov, who expressed confidence in Romano's contribution to the team.
Yuri's mother - Morena is a former volleyball player. She played a key role in guiding him towards volleyball, encouraging him to switch from football to volleyball when she noticed that he was growing in height but not progressing in football.
Yuri's father also had a significant influence on him, teaching him to be patient and to keep his feet on the ground. Yuri shares that he is very similar to his father, who instilled in him values such as patience and the belief that with time and effort, desires come true.
During Yuri Romano's official presentation at "Fakel Novy Urengoy", he spoke a few lines in Russian against the backdrop of the song "Vai!" by the Italian artist Alfa.
🇺🇸 Micah Ma'a – setter with international experience
Micah Ma'a, born on April 16, 1997, in Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA, is a talented setter with a rich international career. After graduating from UCLA, he played for Stade Poitevin Poitiers (France), GKS Katowice (Poland), and Halkbank Ankara (Turkey). In 2025, Ma'a joins Fakel Novy Urengoy, expected to bring stability and creativity to the game's distribution.
🧠 Camillo Placì – former coach of Fakel and Bulgaria, now head of Tunisia
The Italian specialistCamillo Placìis well-known in world volleyball. He ledFakel Novy Urengoyfrom 2016 to 2021, but in 2021, he resigned for health reasons after a severe battle with COVID-19. Before that, Placì was the coach of the Bulgarian national team between 2012 and 2014. In March 2025, he was appointed head coach of the Tunisian men's national team, with ambitions to win the African Cup of Nations in 2026 and qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
With these two key additions and under the guidance of the new coaching staff,Fakel Novy Urengoydemonstrates ambitions for a strong performance in the upcoming season. The synergy between Romano and Ma'a is expected to bring new dynamics and efficiency to the team's play.
collage: volleyweek
