German setter Jan Zimmermann has joined Monza, Volleyweek.bg has learned. The 33-year-old volleyball player returns to the Italian team to temporarily replace the injured American Andrew Rowan.
Zimmermann is very familiar with the club, having played for them last season. He will now be available to Massimo Eccheli for the final part of the preparation for the new SuperLega championship.
The first opportunity for the German to appear again in a Monza jersey is the fifth edition of the pre-season tournament "Trofeo Ferramenta Astori", which will be held on October 10 and 11 at PalaGeorge in Montichiari. Verona, Modena, and Padua will also participate in the competition.
Monza will face Verona in the semi-final on October 10, while Modena and Padua will play against each other in the other pairing. The match for third place and the final will be held the following day.
Bulgarian internationals Zhasmin Velichkov and Iliya Petkov are also expected to participate in the tournament. Both were starters in the team's last test match against Spanish champions Guaguas (Las Palmas), which they lost 1:3 (23:25, 19:25, 27:25, 23:25) near Barcelona.
Rowan is out of play after fracturing the thumb of his right hand. The American setter underwent surgery on September 22, and initial forecasts are for him to return at the end of November.
The tournament in Montichiari is Monza's last test before the start of the SuperLega season.

photo: Nikolay Varadinov