World Champions Italy begin their road to EuroVolley 2026
3 min read
The road to the European Championship begins for the reigning world champions.
Following their quarterfinal exit at the 2026 Volleyball Nations League, where they were defeated by the United States, Italy will turn the page and begin preparations for the next major challenge on the international calendar: the 2026 European Championship, taking place from September 10 to 26 in Italy, Bulgaria, Finland and Romania.
The Azzurri will gather in Cervia on Monday, August 10, 2026, for the first four-day training camp of their EuroVolley preparations, with the group led by head coach Ferdinando De Giorgi working through Thursday, August 13.
De Giorgi has selected 17 players for this opening stage, bringing together a blend of established leaders, familiar faces and some of the younger talents looking to earn their place in the final European Championship roster.
Captain and setter Simone Giannelli remains at the heart of the team. The 29-year-old setter will once again be expected to guide Italy both on and off the court, alongside fellow setter Riccardo Sbertoli.
The offensive options include Alessandro Bovolenta, Kamil Rychlicki and Yuri Romanò among the opposites, while the outside hitter group features Mattia Bottolo, Daniele Lavia, Alessandro Michieletto, Francesco Sani and Luca Porro.
Michieletto’s presence will be particularly significant, as one of the most explosive offensive weapons in Italian volleyball returns to the national team after being sidelined by a serious back injury suffered with his club side, Itas Trentino. His return adds another major attacking option to an Italy side that will be looking to rediscover its best form after a frustrating VNL campaign.
The middle blockers called up for the first camp are Lorenzo Cortesia, Gianluca Galassi, Roberto Russo, Giovanni Sanguinetti and 20-year-old Pardo Mati, while Fabio Balaso and Gabriele Laurenzano complete the squad as the two liberos.
The opening days in Cervia will also give supporters the chance to get close to the world champions.
On Tuesday, August 11, the Azzurri will hold an open training session at the Cervia sports hall from 9:00 to 11:30, allowing fans to watch the early stages of the team’s preparation first-hand.
Italy will approach EuroVolley with ambitions that match its recent history. As reigning world champions, they have established themselves among the leading forces in international men’s volleyball, and they will now look to build on that success on the continental stage.
The disappointing VNL result, however, will provide an additional source of motivation. With Italy also among the four host nations of the European Championship, alongside Bulgaria, Finland and Romania, De Giorgi’s team will have both expectations and home support behind them.
The Cervia camp therefore represents the first step towards September’s continental showcase. Over the coming weeks, De Giorgi will have the task of shaping this group into the final squad that will defend Italy’s ambitions at EuroVolley — and attempt to add another chapter to one of the most successful periods in the history of Italian volleyball.
Italy’s 17-player squad:
Setters
• Simone Giannelli — 29, 2.00m
• Riccardo Sbertoli — 28, 1.88m
Opposites
• Alessandro Bovolenta — 22, 2.07m
• Kamil Rychlicki — 29, 2.03m
• Yuri Romanò — 29, 2.03m
Middle blockers
• Lorenzo Cortesia — 26, 2.02m
• Gianluca Galassi — 29, 2.01m
• Roberto Russo — 29, 2.07m
• Giovanni Sanguinetti — 26, 2.02m
• Pardo Mati — 20, 2.06m
Outside hitters
• Mattia Bottolo — 26, 1.96m
• Daniele Lavia — 26, 2.00m
• Alessandro Michieletto — 24, 2.11m
• Francesco Sani — 24, 2.03m
• Luca Porro — 22, 1.94m
Liberos
• Fabio Balaso — 30, 1.78m
• Gabriele Laurenzano — 23, 1.76m
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