Concern in the Trento camp regarding Alessandro Michieletto is deepening. Following further diagnostic tests, the club officially announced that the outside hitter has sustained an incomplete stress fracture of the right pedicle of the fourth lumbar vertebra (a stress crack in the bone of one of the five vertebrae in the lower back). The volleyball player has already been included in a recovery program, but at this moment, there is no clarity on when he will be able to return to the court.
The problems in the lumbar region have kept the team's star out of play for more than ten days, with Michieletto unable to resume full training and missing the Italian Cup Final Four, where Trento won silver medals. The club emphasizes that no compromises will be made with a hasty return to avoid complications.
The situation seriously jeopardizes his participation not only in the SuperLega matches but also in the upcoming Champions League clashes, where Trento is fighting for first place in the group.
Michieletto's injury inevitably brings to mind the case of Alex Nikolov, who also missed months due to a serious lower back problem. However, for the Bulgarian outside hitter, it was a herniated disc (displaced intervertebral disc) that led to surgery in June 2024, whereas for Trento's star, the diagnosis is an incomplete stress fracture of a vertebra (a crack in the bone of one of the vertebrae), requiring cautious and prolonged recovery with no clear timeline for return.
Trento faces an away match against ACH Ljubljana in the Champions League, after the Italians already won the first encounter 3:1. Coach Marcelo Mendez's team will try to maintain second place in Group A and prevent the Slovenians from closing the gap in the standings. Ljubljana boasts a strong squad, leads its national championship, and includes former Trento player Tine Urnaut, as well as national team members Gregor Ropret and Jani Kovačič.
A victory in Slovenia would give Sbertoli and his teammates a chance to play for first place in the final match against Ziraat Bank Ankara, but Michieletto's absence remains a significant blow to the "yellow-blues'" ambitions in the decisive phase of the season.
Photo: legavolley.it
