Prosecco Doc-Scandicci, race 1 tomorrow. And Velasco recalls Moki to the national team

CONEGLIANO (TREVISO) – Time to make history, time to championship final. With a great preview: Moki De Gennaro will be part of the Italian national team again in the next Volley Nation League, a key competition for qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. But let’s proceed in order. There Prosecco Doc waits Scandicci tonight at Palaverde at 8.30pm for game 1 of the playoff finals. An unprecedented final, but which reflects the values ​​seen during the regular season, dominated by Conegliano and with Scandicci finishing in second place 12 points behind. For them panthers there is the desire to confirm the tricolor for the 6th consecutive time (the seventh overall), for Scandicci to enter its name in the roll of honor for the first time. After beating Roma 2-0 in the quarter-finals, the panthers prevailed against Novara, while the Tuscans made a clear run both with Vallefoglia first and then with Milan, depriving Paola Egonu’s team of their third consecutive appearance in the finals scudetto. The clash will therefore be between Isabelle Haak and Ekaterina Antropovayet another stellar challenge between opposing sides in our Serie A, which once again confirms itself as one of the most beautiful championships in the world in terms of technical value.

COACH’S WORD

«We have never faced Scandicci in the final –explains Daniele Santarelli– for many Milan was considered the favourite, but the Tuscans totally deserved this final scudetto”. «Scandicci – he continues – is a team with players who need no introduction and this year they had a great season, almost reaching the Italian Cup final and coming close to reaching the Champions League round against Eczacibasi. It’s a’opponent equipped to win and will arrive at Palaverde with great enthusiasm and with the awareness derived from the great growth in the second part of the season. In fact, many athletes have grown and found conviction and unity in the last period. It’s a really balanced teamit won’t be easy at all but we know that if we play at our best we are strong». Aware that in a final every false step can be fatal: «We won’t be able to afford a performance like that of Novarawe will need our best match and we trust in the help of our fans to start this final off well.”

THE MAGNIFICENT THIRTY

Meanwhile, just on the eve of the match, the coach of the Italian national team Julio Velasco has released the list of athletes who will take part in the VNL 2024, a list full of pleasant returns. Above all that of Monica De Gennaro, excluded last summer by former coach Davide Mazzanti both for the VNL itself and for the European championships despite a sensational level of performance. Velasco kept his word: while passing through the Palaverde he said that the fundamental criterion for the call-ups would be the level of play and Moki, the best performer in her role in Italy, was among the 30 chosen. In addition to De Gennaro, the Panthers Lubian and Fahr and the great former Paola Egonu were also present.