Trento, 16 April 2025

Playoffs, on Thursday game 3 of the semifinal at ilT quotidiano Arena

Game 3 of the 2025 SuperLega Credem Banca Scudetto Playoff Semifinal will be played on Thursday, April 17 at the (already sold-out) ilT quotidiano Arena. Leading 2-0 in the series, Itas Trentino returns home with the first of three chances to close out the series against Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza. First serve is scheduled for 8:30 PM, with live coverage on RAI Sport, Radio Dolomiti, and streaming on the OTT platform VBTV.
ITAS TRENTINO "Being up in the series doesn’t mean we’re the favorites in Game 3, quite the opposite" head coach Fabio Soli pointed out during the pre-match press conference. "The balance in the first two matches shows how tiny details make the difference in a single game. That’s exactly where we’ll need to focus our attention for Thursday’s match. I’m expecting an even more intense battle than before, where playing our best volleyball must remain our main goal. Staying committed to consistently doing the right things to resolve each situation will definitely be the best approach".
The Trentino coach has the full squad available and will complete preparations with a technical-tactical session at the arena this afternoon. Historically, Trentino Volley has led 2-0 in a best-of-five semifinal series only five times before: 2009 (2-0 vs Cuneo, closed out 3-0), 2010 (2-0 vs Macerata, won 3-1 after losing Game 3), 2022 (2-0 vs Civitanova, who came back to win the next three and reach the Final), 2023 (2-0 vs Piacenza, eventually won in Game 5), 2024 (2-0 vs Monza, lost the last three and missed the Final). Overall, Trentino Volley has been ahead 2-0 in a best-of-five playoff series nine times in its 22 postseason appearances. Only three times has it failed to advance: the 2021/22 semifinals against Cucine Lube, the 2023/24 semifinals against Monza, and the 2005 quarterfinals – also against Piacenza (lost 2-3).
SEVEN WINS AND SIX LOSSES IN PREVIOUS GAME 3 SEMIFINALS
Trentino Volley has played a Game 3 of the Scudetto Semifinals 13 times (out of 21 playoff appearances), recording seven wins and six losses. Victories: 3-1 vs Treviso (2006), 3-1 vs Cuneo (2009), 3-0 vs Modena (2011), 3-2 vs Perugia (2015), 3-1 at Modena (2016), 3-1 vs Perugia (2017), 3-2 vs Civitanova (2019). Defeats: 0-3 at home vs Lube (2010), 2-3 at Perugia (2018), 1-3 at Civitanova (2021), 0-3 at Civitanova (2022), 0-3 at home vs Piacenza (2023), 2-3 at home vs Monza (last season). In five of those thirteen Game 3s, Trentino went on to reach the Final. In terms of numbers, Sunday’s match will be Trentino's 48th of the season (with a record of 38 wins and 9 losses), the 1,092nd official match in club history, and the 161st Scudetto Playoff match, in which the team has earned 96 wins — 65 of those (in 85 matches) coming at home.
THE OPPONENTS With no more margin for error, Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza visits ilT quotidiano Arena for the third time this season, needing a win to keep their hopes alive for what would be the club’s first-ever Scudetto Final — and the sixth overall for the city of Piacenza. Coached by Ljubomir Travica, the team will be chasing its first win of the season against Trento, leaning heavily on blocking and transition play — the key elements that allowed them to win the four sets they’ve taken across the first two matches.
HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY The rivalry between Trentino Volley and the team from Piacenza runs deep, as the stats show: 79 matches played (only Civitanova with 103 and Modena with 89 have more against Trentino). The breakdown includes 44 regular-season games, 30 in the Scudetto Playoffs (including the Finals in 2008, 2009, and 2013; the Semifinals in 2023 and 2025; and the Quarterfinals in 2005, 2021, and 2022), 3 in the Italian Cup (2023 Final, 2014 Semifinal, and 2015 Quarterfinal), and 2 in the CEV Cup (2017 Quarterfinals). Trento leads the series 55–24, thanks in part to a strong recent record. Since Piacenza returned to the top division in the 2019/20 season, they’ve won only 6 of 25 official matches against Trentino and have lost the last 7 straight — the most recent win came on April 22, 2023, in Game 4 of the Semifinals in Piacenza (0–3). Overall, Trentino Volley has won 35 of the 42 official home matches against the team from Emilia.
THE SERIES The Semifinals are played as a best-of-five. With Trentino up 2–0, the series continues Thursday after their two tie-break wins: at home on April 6 (25–23, 23–25, 25–21, 23–25, 18–16) and in Piacenza on April 13 (27–25, 15–25, 25–20, 22–25, 15–9). Only if Gas Sales Bluenergy wins Game 3 will the series return to PalabancaSport for Game 4, which would be played on Sunday, April 20 or Monday, April 21. Game 5, if needed, is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 at 8:30 PM in Trento. The winner of this series will face the winner of Perugia vs Civitanova (currently 2–0, Game 3 tonight in Umbria).
THE REFEREES The match will be officiated by Ilaria Vagni (from Perugia, in Serie A since 2003 and an international referee since 2011) and Andrea Pozzato (from Bolzano, a referee since 2004). This will be their fifth SuperLega match officiated together, and their second of the season. One of those was also a Trento vs Piacenza matchup — April 22, 2024, when Piacenza won 3–0 at PalabancaSport in Game 4 of the Semifinals. For Vagni, it will be her 16th match of the 2024/25 season. She last officiated Itas Trentino in their 3–1 home win over Modena on October 20. She’s also officiated four previous Trento vs Piacenza matchups — all in Piacenza — with three Trentino wins and one for the home team. Pozzato, officiating his 14th match of the season, last saw Trentino in their win at Verona on February 2. He also refereed Trentino’s 3–1 home win over Cisterna (Italian Cup Quarterfinal on December 30) and the 3–0 win over Monza on November 24.
TV, RADIO & ONLINE COVERAGE The match will be a global media event, with live coverage across all platforms. It will be broadcast on RAI Sport (channel 58 on digital terrestrial) and streamed on the Rai Play App.
Radio Dolomiti, official media partner of Trentino Volley, will provide live radio commentary. Frequencies can be found at www.radiodolomiti.com, where live audio streaming is also available.
Live video streaming will be available on the subscription-based VBTV platform.
A match recap will air on RTTR, Trentino Volley’s TV partner, on Saturday, April 19 at around 9:00 PM.
Live point-by-point updates will be provided on the Lega Pallavolo Serie A website (www.legavolley.it), on www.trentinovolley.it, and on Trentino Volley’s social media (www.trentinovolley.it/instagram e www.trentinovolley.it/twitter).
SOLD OUT The match is included in the 2024/25 season ticket package. ilT quotidiano Arena was declared sold out on Tuesday evening, with 4,000 spectators expected in the stands. On Thursday, the arena’s ticket office (via Fersina) will open at 7:30 PM only for accreditation pickup, and gates will open at the same time.

Trentino Volley Srl
Press Office