Giannelli: “We must not make a tragedy out of it now”

Captain Simone Giannelli and co. were very disappointed after missing out on the bronze medal. But the Bolzano native is already looking ahead.

August 10, 2024

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On Friday, the Volleyball Azzurri lost the bronze medal match against the USA 0:3 (23:25, 28:30, 24:26). (--> Click here for the detailed match report). "Like everyone else, I am very disappointed that we did not manage to win this medal," said Simone Giannelli from Bolzano after the game. However, Italy's captain would have imagined his 28th birthday yesterday differently.

Giannelli also stressed that he and his team went into the game with the right attitude. "It was a high-level game, we lost all the sets by a narrow margin," said South Tyrol's volleyball ace. The disappointment was huge, "but you have to keep going." Ultimately, the Azzurri were not good enough to bring home a medal. "That's sport, congratulations to the USA," said Giannelli, paying respect to their opponents.

The Bozen native (number 6) led his team through the tournament as captain. © Daniela Tarantini

But one should not "make a tragedy out of it". It is important to recognize that Italy is still one of the best four volleyball teams at these Olympic Games. "We should continue with what we did well and improve in the areas that did not work well in order to reach the level of the three teams that finished ahead of us," said Giannelli, looking ahead.

“We have to be disappointed and come back better prepared for the next opportunities.” Simone Giannelli

The young age of the national team should not be an excuse for missing out on a medal: “I don’t care what’s in the passport, it’s about playing volleyball.” At the successful World Cup – the Azzurri won gold in 2022 – After all, there was no discussion about age. "We have to be disappointed, go home, train, improve and come back better prepared for the next opportunities," the captain concluded.

Schlagwörter: Volleyball Olympics 2024 South Tyroleans in Paris Italy