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The curse is finally broken. After months of frustration and near-misses, the Italian Superlega Credem Banca witnessed its most emotional moment of the 2025/26 season this weekend. Round 14 delivered expected dominance from the league leaders, but the headlines belong to the gritty underdogs at the bottom of the table. While Itas Trentino and Sir Susa Scai Perugia flexed their muscles to maintain their stranglehold on the top spots, Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina rewrote their season narrative with a performance of pure heart. The standings have shifted, the pressure has mounted, and the race for survival just got a lot more interesting.
The Main Event: Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina vs. Cisterna Volley
Score: 3-2 (20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 23-25, 15-9)
The atmosphere inside the PalaSavelli was electric, charged with the desperate hope of a fanbase waiting for a miracle. Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina entered the court with a 0-13 record, facing a direct relegation rival in Cisterna Volley. For the first hour, it looked like the same old story. Cisterna took the first set with clinical efficiency, exposing the host’s fragile confidence. But Sunday was different. Sunday was about resilience.
The turning point arrived not in a tactical shift, but through sheer willpower and a crucial substitution. Coach Ortenzi introduced Georgi Tatarov off the bench, and the Bulgarian national player changed the complexion of the match. His entrance sparked a fire in the fourth set just as Grottazzolina seemed to be fading. With the score tight, Tatarov delivered a clutch ace that pushed the game into a tie-break. The momentum had swung.
In the decisive fifth set, Grottazzolina played like a team reborn. They didn’t just survive; they dominated. The hosts raced to an 8-4 lead at the switch, fueled by a suffocating block defense that finally stifled Cisterna’s attack. Michele Fedrizzi, the match’s undeniable MVP, took control of the offensive load. He hammered crucial kills through the Cisterna block, refusing to let the opportunity slip away. When the final ball dropped, the relief was palpable—a first win, a vital two points, and renewed hope for survival in the Superlega.
The Star: Michele Fedrizzi
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Michele Fedrizzi put the team on his back when it mattered most. His stat line tells the story of an all-around masterclass:
- Points: 23
- Kills: 20
- Blocks: 2
- Aces: 1
- Impact: Fedrizzi was the emotional anchor, stabilizing the reception and delivering high-percentage attacks in the tie-break to seal the historic victory.
Around the League
- Sir Susa Scai Perugia 3-1 Allianz Milano (25-21, 23-25, 25-14, 25-19) Perugia kept pace with the leaders, shaking off a second-set stumble to crush Milano. The “Block Devils” found their rhythm in the third set, blowing Milano off the court 25-14. Wassim Ben Tara was the standout, leading the charge with 18 points. Milano’s resistance crumbled under Perugia’s service pressure in the fourth, cementing Sir Susa Scai’s position in second place.
- Itas Trentino 3-1 Cucine Lube Civitanova (25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22) The marquee matchup of the weekend lived up to the hype at the BTS Arena. In a rematch of last season’s final, Trentino reaffirmed their dominance. The home side controlled the first two sets with superior serving pressure. Lube fought back in the third behind Aleksandar Nikolov’s match-high 24 points, but they couldn’t stop the collective efficiency of Trento. Jordi Ramon earned MVP honors with a balanced 15 points, while Alessandro Michieletto added 17. Trentino remains the team to beat.
- Vero Volley Monza 0-3 Rana Verona (20-25, 12-25, 25-27) It was a dark day for Monza at the Opiquad Arena. Rana Verona walked in and dismantled the hosts in straight sets. The second set was particularly brutal, with Verona winning 25-12. Noumory Keita was unstoppable, blasting 15 points to lead the visitors. Monza showed some fight in the third set, pushing it to extra points, but they lacked the firepower to close. This marks Monza’s ninth loss, deepening their crisis.
- Sonepar Padova 1-3 Valsa Group Modena (25-20, 20-25, 23-25, 17-25) Modena secured a vital away victory to solidify their top-four status. After dropping the first set to a spirited Padova side, Modena adjusted their block and defense. Luca Porro was spectacular, scoring 19 points to match Padova’s Mattia Orioli. The turning point came in the tight third set, where Modena executed better in transition to take a 2-1 lead, breaking Padova’s spirit.
- Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza 3-0 MA Acqua S.Bernardo Cuneo (25-17, 25-22, 25-17). Piacenza made short work of struggling Cuneo. The result was never really in doubt. Gianluca Galassi controlled the net, earning MVP honors with 12 points, including 4 blocks. Piacenza’s service game disrupted Cuneo’s reception all evening, allowing the hosts to cruise to a comfortable sweep and stay within striking distance of the top four.
League Standings Note
The fight for the playoffs is heating up, and the relegation battle is tighter than ever. For a complete overview of the points and rankings, check out the live standings: https://volleyballnews.net
Performance of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Points Scored |
| 1 | Aleksandar Nikolov | Cucine Lube Civitanova | 24 |
| 2 | Michele Fedrizzi | Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina | 23 |
| 3 | Luca Porro | Valsa Group Modena | 19 |
Sources:
https://www.legavolley.it/risultati/?IdCampionato=974&lang=en&lang=en