Andrea-Giani
The German National Team, coached by the Italian Andrea Giani, upset Italy by a 3-2.
“The Italian National Team is a current runner-up of the Olympic Games. We knew that it would be hard to play against them. I am glad that my team showed its value and even if we struggled at the beginning with 1-2 in sets, we were able to stand up and fight for victory,” Giani, who certainly has a lot of credit for this win as he used to work with many of the players from the rival’s side, said.
“The serving and the blocking were our key factors to win the game. There were some moments of crisis, but overall it was a perfect teamwork. Now we have to sleep well and recover before the match against the Czechs,” Lukas Kampa, the captain of Germany, added.
The players of Italy were highly self-critical at the end of the encounter, and unfortunately, they reminded their fans on weak performances in the 2017 FIVB World League, which they finished last-placed in Group 1.
“I think that it was a good match. Germany played better at the end, and it was the only difference between us that gave them the victory. On the paper, the rest of this pool seems to be easier to play against, but neither Slovakia nor the Czech Republic has to deal with such pressure as we do,” Matteo Piano, the middle blocker of Italy, stated.
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