Very balanced match between two evolving teams: Azzurri defeated 16-14 in the final set
Faces, seasons and competitions change but Italy-France at the net is always a battle. First match of 2026 in the Nations League debut and the match ends 2-3 (25-19, 27-29, 25-23, 23-25, 14-16) for the French. A match that reflects the state of the art of work for both teams who brought to the pitch a mix of experience and youth with players making their debut in the event and talents to grow for the future. In De Giorgi’s team the experience is that of Kamil Rychlicki, an Italian-Luxembourg opposite who often carries the team on his shoulders ensuring the necessary contribution of points to keep up the French pace: there are 30 in the end. But also that of Mattia Bottolo, captain in the absence of Giannelli, who scores heavy points and works hard. There is Sanguinetti at the center and Paolo Porro as director, he can hardly be called a young man despite being 24 years old given the experience he has. In France the same thing goes with Boyer and Clevenot acting as hens for a new group in which the two-time Olympic champion Brizard, who has only been with the team for a few days, gives way to the twenty-year-old Tizi-Oualou while Giani sends 2007 Iyegbekedo onto the field who responds with an exceptional performance: 12 points, 8 of which are blocks. Today at 10pm the Azzurri’s encore against Germany.
THE MATCH
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De Giorgi’s first Italy sees Paolo Porro directing diagonally with Rychlicky, Sanguinetti and Mati central, Bottolo and Luca Porro spikers with Laurenzano libero. Andrea Giani responds with Tizi-Oualou from Modena diagonally with Boyer, Gueye and Iyegbekedo in the centre, Mathias Henno (who should be in Perugia next year) and Clevenot hammers and Diez libero. The first set is the only one without history: after an initial study phase, Bottolo and Rychlicki dig the ditch with France (17-13) who flounder a bit without being able to slow them down. For lovers of short matches, disappointment comes immediately. From the second set onwards it is a game of chess in which point to point or overtaking and counter-overtaking dictate the pace of a difficult and discontinuous balance. Rychlicki’s ten points in the second set were not enough to conquer a partial full of errors in which De Giorgi was forced several times to call his team to lucidity. The final point-to-point rewarded France as they made good on Luca Porro’s error in attack. A balance that finds Matteo Boninfante on the bench at the end of the third set and which sees Pardo Mati grow, especially decisive with blocks and serves (11 points with 3 aces and four blocks). Giani responds by inserting Brizard at times and the two central defenders Huetz and Magnin while the very young Iyegbekedo on the block becomes a nightmare for the Azzurri. Rychlicki continues his work as a leader while Luca Porro and Bottolo alternate in the decisive points. At the tie break Luca Porro, Mati and Rychlicki immediately put a break away from the French who make up for it with Boyer and Iyegbekedo who also scores the block on Bottolo’s pipe which is worth the overtaking at 10-11. Then it’s Clevenot who puts down points 12 and 13 for the French while Rychlicki this time takes out the parallel for the 14-12 for the French. Henno and Boyer fire out the two match balls. Then Boyer and Henno close the score.