In a gripping contest for the bronze medal at the Olympics, Team USA outperformed Italy, clinching third place with a decisive 3-0 victory. Italy, having demonstrated impressive form throughout the tournament, advanced through the group stages with strong performances. They staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Japan 3-2 in the quarterfinals but fell short against defending champions France in the semifinals, losing 3-0. The bronze medal match against the USA saw a similar result, with Italy unable to secure a set.
Italian coach Ferdinando De Giorgi expressed disappointment but acknowledged the competitive nature of the tournament: “There’s definitely a sense of bitterness because I believe this team could have capped off recent years with a medal. It would have been important to return home with the bronze. However, this Olympics was marked by great balance, and we fought hard despite the 3-0 scoreline. The USA proved slightly more effective, especially in crucial moments.”
Star player Alessandro Michieletto also shared his thoughts: “It didn’t end the way we wanted. The bronze medal was not just a consolation but an honor, especially at the Olympics. We played better than against France, but small details made the difference. We could have done better, and perhaps we lacked experience in such high-stakes games. We’re a team with a promising future and will learn from this experience.”
Yuri Romanò reflected on the team’s performance: “We gave it our all and played point for point against a strong team. It’s painful to be fourth at this stage, but we are proud of our journey. We need to analyze this experience and improve for the future.”
Setter Simone Giannelli added: “I’m very disappointed we didn’t secure the medal. We approached the game well and played at a high level, but we lost all sets by narrow margins. We need to learn from this and continue improving. Despite not winning a medal, we remain among the top teams in the world.”
