Trento, 14 February 2023

Sbertoli to "RTTR Volley": "A very hard championship, it honoured our group"

On Monday evening, Itas Trentino’s setter Riccardo Sbertoli was the main guest of the twentieth seasonal episode of “RTTR Volley”, the weekly magazine of the media partner Trentino Volley. Here are some interesting parts of the interview ran by Sara Ravanelli.

PERUGIA. “It is anything but granted to reach the fifth set against a team who have been dominating the championship, but obviously, we, as athletes, do not settle easily and we regret the loss at the tie break. We always play to win and this match tells us that we still are missing something to be at their same level. We will be fully aware of being able to beat them, when we succeed in winning a match, but we know that this match would have given us precise information about our path, which we collected. There is still work to do but we are on the right path; it is difficult to stand your ground against them throughout the match”.

BLM GROUP ARENA. “On Sunday, the atmosphere at the arena was amazing, it reminded me of the Champions League second round’s semi-final of last season, played right against Sir Safety. It is not usual to see such a crowded and warm arena, not only in Trento but in the whole Italy; so, I want to thank our fans, who supported us during the race for that goal we only came close to”.

SECOND PLACE. “We tried to keep this place also last weekend, but we could not make it and now we are behind Modena again, who is two points ahead of us. The rankings may change daily, even though the leeway on some positions is growing. I believe that we may be seeking the best possible position until the end. This is a very hard championship, regardless of our opponents in each turn; all of this honoured our team’s skills”.

MILAN. “On Sunday evening we will play against Allianz the first of the two competitions that will characterise the upcoming weeks. Both matches to be played in Lombardy and in Rome for the Coppa Italia are very hard, because Milan plays an extremely good volley; Piazza is a coach who prepares well for each appointment, I know him because I worked with him in several seasons and I know that he leaves nothing to chance. By the way, let’s move on by order and focus on this weekend’s appointment. Having lost the first round, I am sure that we will be excited and focused. If Itas Trentino is now even closer as a group in the recent months, it is also thanks to the way we reacted to defeats, such as the one against Milan”.

THE GAME. “As compared to two years ago, when I wore Milan's jersey, I think that my way of playing has changed also based on the needs of the team you lead from the set place. I grew up from a technical point of view, because Trentino Volley offered me the chance to play many important teams and compete for the European Cups. I surely feel different as in the past”.

VICTORY. “We do not start off badly with anyone, nor with Perugia. I am sure that we will have the chance to win some competitions; it is not just on us, but we will do our best to not have any regrets”.

TRENTO. “I am happy in this city; waking up in the morning, going training and being surrounded by the mountains and nice days is something I was not used to and I like that so much. There is a nice atmosphere, very relaxing, that allows me to focus just on my job. One day, when I will stop playing volleyball, I will go back to Milan, but for now I am more than happy here”.

Trentino Volley Srl
Press Office