Bulgarian national Alex Nikolov and his Cucine Lube (Civitanova) are just one win away from qualifying for the final in the Italian SuperLega. The "Biancorossi" host Rana Verona in the fourth match of the semi-final series, scheduled for Saturday (April 18) at 7:00 PM in "Eurosuole Forum", which was sold out by mid-week.
Lube turned the series around and holds the initiative.
After a shaky start to the semi-final, the team from Civitanova found its rhythm and achieved two consecutive victories in the second and third matches to take a 2-1 lead in the series against Verona. Thus, the squad, led by Gianpaolo Medei, secured its first match point to reach the final, where Sir Susa Vim Perugia is already waiting.
Nikolov: "The adrenaline will be palpable in the air."
The Bulgarian outside hitter commented on the situation to the club's official website, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming clash:
"I have played many important matches in my career, but if I had to make a ranking, I would place the fourth match of this semi-final series against Verona very high. For me and my teammates, this is an extremely important game. The adrenaline will be palpable in the air."
"After trailing at the start of the series, we managed to turn it around with two consecutive victories in the second and third matches, which shifted the pressure onto Verona."
Nikolov also highlighted the emotional intensity in Lube's play:
"In tense moments under the net, Lube gets even more fired up. Especially in our arena, we play better when we are fully engaged and experience the matches with maximum emotion. It's difficult for any opponent here when we are confident and determined."
The Crowd A Key Factor
The arena will be packed to capacity, and the fans' support could prove decisive:
"A tough battle awaits us in an extremely heated atmosphere. It's been a long time since the hall was full, and this gives us extra enthusiasm. We are fully ready."
According to the Bulgarian player, the serve will play a crucial role:
"From a technical point of view, the quality of the serve will once again be decisive for the match's development."
Aggressive serving already gave Lube a significant advantage in the last two matches and remains a key tool for pressuring Verona's reception.
Lube enters the match with a 2-1 lead and an opportunity to close out the series in front of their home crowd. Verona, however, has already shown they can respond and extend the battle to a decisive fifth match.
The clash promises high tension, and as Alex Nikolov also emphasized everything will be decided in the details.
photos: legavolley.it
