Julio Velasco’s national team reached Antalya on Sunday afternoon, a place in Turkey that hosted the recent Champions League “superfinals”, where tonight (7pm Italian time with broadcast on Dazn and VolleyballWorld) they will face Stefano Lavarini’s Poland in the opening match of the first concentration of the Volley Nations League 2024.
It goes without saying that this is a fundamental event for Italy, on the outcome of which participation in the Paris Olympic tournament will depend. It will therefore be important to start well and, as the Italian-Argentine coach said, «try to win with everyone without making calculations, even if the red and white team (already qualified for the five rings competition next summer) is traditionally difficult for our colors.
Igor, with one of the short videos accompanying the presentation of the 2024-’25 team, announced the third piece (second confirmation) of the next roster, represented by libero Eleonora Fersino (in the photo FIPAV with the national team during the “Pala Igor” match with Sweden), who will wear the blue shirt for the fourth year: «Novara has become a second home for me – said the player from Chioggia – I am happy to be part of this new course, with the possibility of fighting on the field to try to achieve further steps forward after a positive season. Now I’m focused on working with the national team, which I hope will last as long as possible. Then I’ll be ready to dive back into the club adventure.”
From a confirmed player to another soon to wear the Novara shirt. We are talking about Federica Squarcini, 24 years old, from Pontedera, Pisa, fresh from two seasons with Conegliano where she practically won everything she could win. In an interview given to a Treviso newspaper, the Tuscan power plant spoke of “two incredible years, which I will never forget”. Now, however, this change of direction, with her transfer to the shadow of the Dome of San Gaudenzio. One of the reasons is easy to say: for Squarcini the Italy shirt is the dream of any athlete, but to wear it – following the criterion adopted by coach Velasco during the call-ups – you need to play continuously for your own club, which for her is not was possible with Imoco. Now she wants to take advantage of this opportunity offered to her in Novara, taking with her what she learned with the “panthers” also in terms of work and sacrifice. She is trying to get the most possible with Igor and setting the 2028 Olympics as a long-term goal.
Returning to the national team, yesterday at the “Pavesi” Center in Milan another five-day training camp began for the ten girls remaining in Italy and to which the “big” players from Imoco Conegliano and Vero Volley Milano were finally added. Under the orders of Lorenzo Bernardi and Juan Manuel Cichello, the “panthers” Monica De Gennaro, Sarah Fahr and Marina Lubian as well as the “Milan” Paola Egonu, Myriam Sylla and Alessia Orro have regained confidence with the national team. The aim is to prepare them for the second stage of the VNL, the one scheduled in Macau from 29 May to 2 June.
