For the thirteenth time at the Palaverde, it’s time for the Serie A1 Tigotà play-offs. Prosecco DOC A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano, first in the Regular Season, hosts Eurotek Laica UYBA for Game-1 of the quarter-finals of the Scudetto play-offs at Palaverde (kick-off at 5 pm). It’s a best-of-3 series, Game-2 will be played on Wednesday 4 March at 20.30 at the E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio. Conegliano and Busto Arsizio have already found themselves in the Scudetto play-offs in the semi-finals of the 2012-13 and 2013-14 season and in the quarter-finals in the 2022-23 season, the Panthers got the better of them on the first and last occasion. The team coached by coach Enrico Barbolini snatched qualification for the play-offs by snatching eighth place on the last day, in the two Regular Season matches the confrontations between the Panthers and Butterflies were very heated and both culminated with two tie-break victories for the yellow-blues.
PREVIOUS AND FORMER: Sunday’s will be the 46th meeting between the two teams, 34 times the yellow-blues have had the upper hand. It will be the right opportunity to re-embrace many former players who have remained in the hearts of the Palaverde fans: Alessia Gennari returns for the first time as an opponent, she won 8 trophies between 2022 and 2024; Nanami Seki and Katja Eckl were Panthers last season and contributed to the 5 successes of the “All-In”, the latter grew up in the Imoco Next Gen nursery, like the spiker Valeria Battista. Captain Asia Wolosz, on the other hand, wore the Butterfly jersey from 2013 to 2015, while deputy Tommaso Barbato worked in the UYBA technical staff for 4 seasons, from 2014 to 2018.
REFEREES: Armandola and Piana
MEDIA: The match will be streamed live on VolleyballWorld.tv, by subscription. Live updates and post-match interviews on Imoco Volley’s social profiles
TICKET OFFICE: Cash desks open at Palaverde starting at 3.30 pm; On the other hand, the online pre-sale of the match on Vivaticket.com is still active, tickets can be purchased on the website to enter quickly and take your place at the arena
DICHIARAZIONI COACH DANIELE SANTARELLI
“Busto Arsizio is a team that has put us in a lot of difficulty during the season, but it was several months ago. Both teams have changed, it will be a difficult quarter-final: we know that from this moment on it is forbidden to make mistakes, we will do everything to offer our best starting from Game-1. UYBA is combative, has good strikers, players who are not afraid and attack strongly; They have excellent individuals in defense, they will try to bother us even on the block. We are fine, we have recovered 100% players who have had physical problems so far, except for Matilde Munarini. We are also working with her to get her back in shape as soon as possible. We have the right energy and enthusiasm to start the play-offs properly, we hope that it is the beginning of another period of emotions and successes. It’s nice to start in front of our fans, the Palaverde is our fortress and we will also need the push of our public for the dry matches that await us”.
OLD WILD WEST, THE COWBOY SHOOTS THE T-SHIRTS DURING THE INTERVALS BETWEEN SETS ACCOMPANIED BY THE BLUE CREW ROYALS- The Palaverde audience this year has a new attraction, during the intervals between sets the Old Wild West cowboy will “shoot” the OWW personalized t-shirts for the Panthers fans in the stands. This season, with the discount found on the digital ticket and subscription, the Palaverde public will be able to enjoy a 15% discount throughout the season in the Old Wild West restaurants. The OWW cowboy will be “escorted” by the breakdancing rhythm of Roberto “Blue” Baseggio’s Blu Royals dance crew.
SPONSOR DAY RDZ SPA- The sponsor day of the day will be RDZ Spa of Sacile, a company that since1978 has been designing and manufacturing invisible, comfortable and cutting-edge heating and cooling systems, designed to ensure the ideal climate in any environment. The ideal comfort, in any environment. As many as 77 RDZ employees will be present to watch the Panthers’ match, at the end of the match souvenir photos between the players and the representatives of one of the most loyal supporters of Prosecco DOC A. Carraro Imoco Volley.
IMOCO ASSICURAZIONI REWARDS THE MVP- The MVP award of the match will be signed by Imoco Assicurazioni, which through the owners Mauro Preto and Francesca Barozzi will pay homage to the best player of the match with a Magnum Prosecco DOC.