Itas Diatec TRENTINO
The Bulgarian has more experiences of the big events, having taken part in three different V-Day (title game played on one single game) and three other league finals, while the PIACENZA counterpart will make his debut in a league title game, although he did prepare a final in 2001 against TRENTINO as assistant coach of Gian Paolo Montali and Massimo Dagioni at Milan.
Stories of coaches:
Radostin Stoytchev (Itas Diatec TRENTINO). Six playoffs participations: All finals, all consecutively, all on the TRENTINO bench. He led the club to league titles in 2008 in his first year in Italy, he lost the 2009 final to PIACENZA on a splendid series that ended in game 5. Same again in 2010’s V-Day but against CUNEO. Revenge was taken the next season in Roma. In his third V-Day, he was defeated at the tie-break by MACERATA in Assago.
Luca Monti (Copra Elior PIACENZA). 3 playoffs participations. In 2011, he led Monza to the playoffs, eliminated in the quarters in 5 thrilling games by Monza. Beaten in the quarters with PIACENZA last year, he then managed to lift the spirit of the team to qualify for the Challenge cup.
Quotes:
Radostin Stoytchev (Coach Itas Diatec TRENTINO): “Despite the absence of Raphael, we have what it takes to win this title. Jack Sintini has been working all year with the group and always put maximum effort, I have therefore no doubt on the excellent contribution he will make in such an important moment. It’s a person that has won important medals, his experience in volleyball and life will be useful. In game 4 in PIACENZA, we struggled to keep up the pace. We are working in the gym and video room to improve our game and make the most of the mistakes made in the previous game. Game 5 will be even more different than the others, we’ll have to stick together, play with a different mentality but most importantly do it all with great team spirit. Destiny? I do believe in it, no doubt, but I am also convinced that with the work in the gym, the concentration and the will to make it, destiny can also be guided”.
Luca Monti (Coach Copra Elior PIACENZA): “We wanted to extend the series at all cost and we managed to do it with what was probably the best PIACENZA seen this season. This will be a true V-Day on Sunday, anything can happen. The decisive game will be in Trento’s house, not on a neutral court, but it doesn’t matter. We have achieved something big already. The home side always won so far but we’ll try to interrupt this trend. We still have a bit of time to prepare ourselves, I think this game will be different than any other played so far”.
Now let’s focus on the two captains: Matey Kaziyski will take part in his 6th final of his career, while this will be number 7 for Hristo Zlatanov. Kaziyski proved clutch in game 3 in 2008: 21 points, 2 blocks, 2 aces, 61% in attack that led the team to become Italian champion. On the other side of the net Zlatanov had also been the best of his team with 15 points that day. Another match in the match between the two stars occurred the following season, this time the Bulgarian had the upper hand with 30 points, 6 aces and 59% in attack.
Captains speak out:
Matey Kaziyski (Itas Diatec TRENTINO): “This will be a different game from all the others, but I am honoured to be involved once more in the game that will hand the league title. PIACENZA and TRENTINO gave light to another extremely intense series and a game 5 is the best way to seal it. We’ll have the court advantage, I am sure our fans will be a great help, but it will be up to us to show our worth on court. Revenge from 2009? No, I don’t look at the past. This is just one game worth the league title, and we obviously want to win it”.
Hristo Zlatanov (Copra Elior PIACENZA): “TRENTINO will play game 5 with Giacomo Sintini as setter, instead of the injured Raphael. The fact he did not play much this season makes his entry rather unpredictable. That’s why we’ll also be in a position in which we’ll have to improvise to adapt to the new line-up and reach our target”.
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