It is a different situation than that of Tommaso Rinaldi. First of all, Giovanni Sanguinetti is one of the very few who has been called up to all the VNL Pools. Secondly, the young center back born in 2003 from Modena Volley has played in this month of competitions, and overall he has done well, certainly raising some doubts for coach De Giorgi who seems to have already chosen the trio of place three for Paris, with Russo, Galassi and Anzani ahead of everything but he certainly has some doubts: to bring or not to bring Sanguinetti?
“I haven’t been out much in this period, so I definitely haven’t been able to tan” jokes Sanguinetti at the Stozice Arena in Ljubljana, where the national team received official qualification for the Games and where, beating Bulgaria 3-0 on Thursday, he also qualified for the Volleyball Nations League Finals. Thanks also to an excellent performance from the Gemini center back, 9 points against the Bulgarians with two aces and two blocks and overall also a good performance against Poland, despite the 0-3 defeat.
“In the end, the sensations are positive. Meanwhile, it was important for the team to qualify for the Olympics. In the first two stages of Rio de Janeiro and Ottawa we had to reach that goal and we did it, with all the starters. Now in the third Pool we have a a ‘revisited’ team so to speak with more young people who need to find space on the pitch and playing time. We need to gain experience, I’m happy for the opportunity.” However, the main topic today, with qualification in the safe, are the call-ups. And for the yellow-blues, if Anzani seems certain of the place, the same cannot be said of Sanguinetti. Much will depend on the evaluations of the coach and his staff, Sanguinetti played his chances well: “The place in Paris? I try not to think about it now, I don’t want to focus on that because it would just be an extra pressure. I’m happy to be able to play, I try to give my best. I feel the coach’s trust, he will then make the decisions he has to make. I hope to cast as many doubts on De Giorgi as possible.”
Finally, from Slovenia, Sanguinetti spends a few words on the new Valsa Group, ready to face the championship starting from the end of September: “Modena? Maybe it’s a bit early to talk about it, but I’m still happy to have some veterans in the team I can rely on to support and take an example from, as has already happened in previous years in a useful path for me. Together we also have promising young people, just like last year.” Then the smile: “But we hope to do much better than last year.”
Alessandro Trebbi
