In the series of final matches for the 2025 calendar year, Itas Trentino and Vero Volley Monza will first face each other in a direct elimination match for the Del Monte Coppa Italia. The match also has a strong Bulgarian focus. In the squad of the visiting team from Monza, two Bulgarian national players – Zhasmin Velichkov and Martin Atanasov – will be side by side, defending the colors of the team from Brianza together.
The match will be played at 9:30 PM in the BTS Arena in Trento and will determine the participant in the Final Four of the tournament, which will take place in Bologna on February 7-8. The match will be broadcast live on Rai Sport and VBTV.
Trento enters the match with confidence, having defeated Monza 3:0 away just a few days ago – a result that solidified the "yellow-blues'" leading position in the championship and extended their streak to ten consecutive victories. However, head coach Marcelo Mendez emphasizes that the elimination nature of the encounter completely changes the situation. "This has nothing to do with Friday's match. Here, there is no room for error, the pressure is different, and Monza will play with a clearer head," commented the Argentine.
For Monza, the match in Trento could also hold additional significance. It might be Martin Atanasov's last match with the team. The Bulgarian receiver intends to change clubs, and whether this will happen already in the mid-season remains to be seen. That is precisely why his participation in this quarter-final is viewed with particular interest.
Zhasmin Velichkov and Atanasov are among the options in Monza's squad for this decisive clash, and the presence of two Bulgarians in an elimination match of the Italian Cup at such a level adds an extra layer of intrigue.
History is on Trento's side – 24 participations in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals over 25 years, 18 qualifications for the Final Four, and three won trophies. The head-to-head record against Monza is also overwhelmingly in favor of the hosts, including a streak of five consecutive 3:0 victories.
