Italy begin final European Championship preparations in Florence as Michieletto remains a doubt

Italy will enter the final stage of their preparation for the 2026 European Championship on Thursday, September 3, when Ferdinando De Giorgi’s squad gathers in Florence for four days of training at PalaBigMat.

The camp, which will run through September 7, represents the final opportunity for the reigning world champions to fine-tune their preparation before the start of the continental tournament. Italy will open their European Championship campaign on Thursday, September 10, facing Sweden in the spectacular setting of Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples.
One of the additions to the group is Andrea Truocchio.
The Pallavolo Padova middle blocker, who was already included in Italy’s roster during the 2026 Volleyball Nations League, joins Gianluca Galassi, Giovanni Sanguinetti and Pardo Mati as the four middle blockers currently working with the national team.

Truocchio’s inclusion also provides De Giorgi with additional options for full six-on-six training sessions as Italy enters the final days of preparation.
Giovanni Gargiulo and Leandro Mosca will not be part of the Florence camp.
Gargiulo has already returned to Cucine Lube Civitanova, while Mosca is currently involved in preparations with Cuneo.
Another notable absence is Roberto Russo. The middle blocker, who recently moved from Sir Safety Perugia to Modena following a highly successful season, is not included in the group travelling to Florence. Russo has been an important member of the Italian national team in recent years, winning the 2021 European Championship and the 2022 and 2025 FIVB World Championships.
No official explanation has been provided regarding his absence from the Florence camp, and there is currently no confirmed information concerning his physical condition.
It would therefore be premature to draw conclusions about the reasons behind his exclusion.

The biggest question surrounding Italy’s squad, however, remains again Alessandro Michieletto.
The outside hitter has been dealing with physical issues for several months.
After recovering from the back problems that had affected him, he reportedly suffered a stress fracture in his right foot at the beginning of July. He has been sidelined since then and is awaiting further medical assessments that could determine whether he is able to return to training and competition.
Michieletto remains included among Italy’s five outside hitters, but the timetable is becoming increasingly tight.
Even if he receives medical clearance, his match fitness would inevitably be a concern after such a lengthy period away from competitive volleyball.
His last appearance dates back to the beginning of January, making the final days of the Florence camp particularly important. De Giorgi will therefore have to assess not only whether Michieletto is medically available, but also whether he can realistically be relied upon from the opening match of the European Championship.

Italy’s squad:

Setters: Simone Giannelli, Riccardo Sbertoli
Outside hitters: Mattia Bottolo, Daniele Lavia, Alessandro Michieletto, Francesco Sani, Luca Porro
Middle blockers: Gianluca Galassi, Giovanni Sanguinetti, Pardo Mati, Andrea Truocchio
Opposites: Kamil Rychlicki, Yuri Romanò
Liberos: Fabio Balaso, Gabriele Laurenzano

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