2025 World Cup Qualifiers: Italy trains at Pala San Giacomo | Trillini: “The atmosphere and the public will help us”

In the morning the fans will be welcomed in Largo di Corte, at the foot of the Aragonese castle. Then, in the evening, the first training session at Pala San Giacomo. The Italian handball team arrived in Conversano yesterday (Sunday), where on 9 May (8.00 pm) Andrea Parisini and his teammates will challenge the Montenegro for the first leg of the third and final qualifying round for the 2025 World Championships. A fundamental challenge for the national team, which finds the Apulian public again after eight and a half years (last time in January 2016) and which in one of the most titled cities of the movement – ​​seven men’s and two women’s Scudetti – will try to lay the foundations for a historic feat.

The DT leads the Azzurri Riccardo Trillinialso a well-known face in Conversano and winner of two tricolors as coach of the green and whites (2010 and 2011). “We are really happy to play this match in Conversano and here in Puglia”, He says. “The national team hasn’t come to this land for a long time. We know that there will be a great audience, a great atmosphere and we are happy about this: we are sure that the fans will give us a hand. This is a region that deserves events like this.”

The darling of the house is Pablo Marrochi, central defender from Conversano and leader of a roster that arrives at Pala San Giacomo with high morale. Italy made it through the first two rounds of qualifying, putting Turkey in November and Belgium in March behind them. Compared to the last outing against the Belgian selection (29-25 in Hasselt and 33-31 in Pescara), the only two changes in personnel represent the return of Gianluca Dapiran in the battery of the left wings and the call of Gabriele Sontacchi in the pivot department. “In these years – continues Trillini – we worked to gradually build a team with its own playing identity, while bringing in many young players. But now it was no longer time for changes: let’s follow the path that brought us here, giving credit to those who won with Turkey and Belgium. The addition of Dapiran, who in any case is not a new face to this team, is only due to the possibility of having an additional defensive variant compared to Arcieri. This is the only reason. As for the pivots, I believe that Sontacchi, together with Romei, represents the future of the national team in this role. Pozzer had an unfortunate experience against Belgium, getting injured in the warm-up, he wasn’t at 100% yet.”

Compared to the first two rounds, the caliber of the opponent changes – Montenegro arrives from 14th place at the EHF EURO 2024 – and the order of the matches, with the national team having to face the return match away to Podgorica. “Undoubtedly some aspects change. We saw against Türkiye and Belgium – says the Italian Technical Director again – how important it is to have the home factor in your favor in the return match. The atmosphere had its weight in Chieti or Pescara, let alone in Podgorica on May 12th. We know how important the first leg is for us. We plan to give our best in the context of Conversano, with our fans, to play a second open match then away, trying to achieve a result that can put pressure on Montenegro.”

TICKETS. You can purchase your ticket to watch the Italy – Montenegro match in the following ways:

The price ranges and expected reductions are as follows:

Entire upper stands (curves and side stands): €5.00
Entire pitchside grandstand: €20.00
Free admission: reserved for the under 14 category, by presenting themselves directly at the access gate* dedicated to the sports hall
*(entry via identity document or visual inspection)

The list of players called up for the matches between Italy and Montenegro:

GOALKEEPERS: Domenico Ebner (PO – 1994 – LeipzigGER), Andrea Colleluori (PO – 2000 – Alperia Black Devils)
ALI: Gianluca Dapiran (AS – 1994 – Trieste), Tommaso De Angelis (AS – 2005 – BM BenidormESP), Umberto Bronzo (AD – 2000 – Raimond Ego Sassari), Davide Pugliese (AD – 2001 – Sidea Group Fasano)
FULL-BACKS AND CENTERS: Davide Bulzamini (TS – 1995 – Trimo TrebnjeSLO), Marco Mengon (CETS – 2000 – SelestatFRA), Simone Mengon (CETS – 2000 – EisenachGER), Christian Manojlovic (TS – 2005 – Raimond Ego Sassari), Mikael Helmersson (TS – 2003 – CoburgGER), Pablo Marrochi (CE – 1986 – Conversano), Giacomo Savini (CE – 1998 – Cassano Magnago), Thomas Bortoli (TD – 2002 – Istres ProvenceFRA)
PIVOT: Andrea Parisini (PI – 1994 – PAUCFRA), Endrit Iballi (PI – 1998 – Brixen), Gabriele Sontacchi (PI – 2003 – Brixen)

TECHNICAL STAFF: Riccardo Trillini (DT), Jurgen Prantner (assistant coach), Luigi Malavasi (goalkeepers)
MEDICAL STAFF: Federico Morelli (doctor), Matteo Nuccelli (physiotherapist)
FIGH. DELEGATE: Silvano Seca

Italy’s path in qualifying for the 2025 World Cup:

The matches of the third round: qualification for the 2025 World Cup:

The teams already qualified for the 2025 World Cup:

Host nations: Croatia, Denmark, Norway
From the EHF EURO 2024: France, Germany, Sweden

(photo: Vanni Caputo)