Italy's men's national volleyball team started its participation in the FIPAV Cup Men Elite in an impressive manner, defeating Turkey with 3:1 sets (25:19, 31:29, 19:25, 25:16) in the hallPalaVela. The Italians, led by coach Ferdinando De Giorgi, showed stable play, with the exception of a brief slump in the third set. The success comes as a valuable test before the World Championship in the Philippines (September 12–28).

Lineups and key moments

Italy played without Giovanni Gargiulo and Yuri Romano, but marked the return of Roberto Russo, who played his first official match of the season with the national team. The starting six included:

• Sbertoli – setter

• Rychlicki – opposite

• Michieletto and Porro – outside hitters

• Galassi and Russo – middle blockers

• Balaso – libero

For Turkey, coach Slobodan Kovač relied on Yenipazar, Lagumdzija, Bayram, Mandiraci, Tümer, Yiğitçavuş, and libero Bayraktar.
A special achievement was also noted – Simone Anzani reached 200 matches with the national team.

Match chronology

• First set (25:19): Italy overcame an early lead by Turkey and, with blocks by Russo and strong play by Rychlicki, took control of the game.

• Second set (31:29): True drama – Turkey led, but De Giorgi's substitutions (Sani and Giannelli) brought a comeback and success after a 38-minute battle.

• Third set (19:25): The Turks dominated and brought the intrigue back, taking advantage of the hosts' fluctuations.

• Fourth set (25:16): The Italians decisively closed the match, with powerful attacks by Michieletto and solid defense.

Match statistics

The match showed a well-balanced Italy, where, in addition to Rychlicki's points, Russo's block also played a significant role. Turkey relied mainly on Lagumdzija, but the lack of equivalent support in attack proved decisive.

photo: FIPAV