After a dynamic week in European club tournaments, the ItalianSuperLega Credem Bancareturns withthe 19th (penultimate before the final sprint) round of the regular season, which offers key clashes both in the battle for the top and in the fight for the last playoff spots.

In focus for the Bulgarian audience are the matches involvingGrottazzolina, Monza, Padua, and Lube, with the intrigue being two-fold –survival and playoffs.

Program of matches with Bulgarian participation (19th round)

All three matches are in different "zones of tension".Grottazzolinais looking for points to avoid relegation,Monza and Paduaare in a direct battle for the last playoff spot, andLubeis under pressure to chase prestige and position against one of the strongest home teams –Verona.

Grottazzolina – Monza: a match for breathing room and playoffs

Saturday's program starts with the matchYuasa Battery Grottazzolina – Vero Volley Monza, which will be broadcastlive onMax Sport 1.

Grottazzolina is last with only5 points, but still not giving up hope of staying in the elite. Monza, on the other hand, holds8th place, which is the last playoff spot, but feels the pressure from Padua, who is only a point behind them.

Context and key details

• This is 4th clashbetween the two teams, with Monza leading2-1in head-to-head matches.

• In the first match of the season, Monza dramatically wonafter a tie-break.

• Grottazzolina has already brought back centerDragan Stankovic, but continues to miss chances in decisive moments. It is unclear whether Ilia Petkov will appear after missing several matches due to injury.

• In the previous round, Grottazzolina only took1 point against Padua, although they had the opportunity to win with 3 points.

This is a typical match whereone is playing for survival, and the other - for their season.If Monza doesn't win, the risk of being overtaken by Padua becomes real. For Grottazzolina, every point is like "oxygen," but the problem is that the team often fails to close out sets when they have the initiative.

Padua – Perugia: a nearly impossible mission, but the stakes are huge

On Sunday at 17:00Sonepar Padovahosts the leaderSir Susa Scai Perugiain a match that could prove crucial for the battle for 8th place.

Facts before the match

• Padua has only4 wins in 30 direct encountersagainst Perugia.

• In the first match between the two teams this season, Padua lost decisively.

• Padua comes after a valuable success in the previous round – a winafter a tie-breakaway against Grottazzolina.

• Perugia continues to be No. 1 in the standings and is+2 ahead of Verona.

If Padua wants to dream of playoffs, this is the moment to get a "big" point – even 1 or 2 points could prove golden in the duel with Monza. Perugia, however, is a team that rarely falters, and when they sense hesitation from the opponent, they usually close out the match without mercy. We still haven't seen the national player Boris Nachev, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, playing recently.

Verona – Lube: a repeat of the Cup final, but with different dynamics

On Sunday at 18:00 comes one of the most anticipated clashes of the round Rana Verona – Cucine Lube Civitanova, with the match being broadcast live on DAZN and followed on Rai Radio Uno.

What makes this match special?

• This is a rematch of the 2025 Italian Cup final.

• Verona is 2nd in the standings with 45 points, just 2 behind Perugia.

• Lube is 6th with 31 points, but shows two faces:

  • strong in the Champions League

  • hesitant in away matches in the championship

• In the 6th round, Lube defeated Verona by 3:0at home – one of the few instances this season when Verona was completely neutralized.

Verona looks more mature and stable compared to the start of the season – especially in home games. Lube, however, is a team that can "blow up" any match, provided they get into the right rhythm. If the visitors again allow lapses in concentration, Verona will punish them quickly, because at the moment they are playing like a team chasing a title, and not just a good ranking.

Standings before the 19th round

The most interesting zone for Bulgarian interest is the battleMonza (16) – Padua (15)for 8th place. A good weekend for Padua and a mistake by Monza could turn the standings around right now. At the bottomGrottazzolinais in a critical situation - the difference is serious and every missed home game could be fatal.