I’m heartbroken for Nemanja Petric, I couldn’t name one player who would have deserved the final more than him. At the same time, I couldn’t be any happier for Andrea Giani, one of the pillars of Modena Volley’s history as a player. Every time he takes up a new national team, he manages to reach the podium, whereas our national team is already on the sofa watching the finalists on court. 

#EuroVolley2017M #Gianiforpresident #SoloModena

Azimut Modena Volley released the official roster for the 2017/18 season:

#1   Bruno Rezende, BRA (setter) [C] #2   Jennings Franciskovic, USA (setter) #3   Andrea Argenta, ITA (opposite) #4   Maarten Van Garderen, NED (wing spiker) #6   Federico Tosi, ITA (libero) #7   Salvatore Rossini, ITA (libero) #8   S. Ngapeth, FRA (wing spiker) #9   E. Ngapeth, FRA (wing spiker) #10 Giulio Sabbi, ITA (opposite) #11 Elia Bossi, ITA (middle blocker) #12 Maxwell Holt, USA (middle blocker) #14 Alberto Marra, ITA (middle blocker) #15 Giulio Pinali, ITA (wing spiker) #17 Tine Urnaut, SLO (wing spiker) #18 Daniele Mazzone, ITA (middle blocker)

#SoloModena #NSLS

Photo credit: Modena Volley official fb

Federico Tosi is Modena Volley’s new libero!! Here’s his statement on his transfer:

“Playing for Perugia has been great, but no [other team] has Modena Volley’s appeal. Having been contacted by the club was a reason of pride and we immediately sealed the deal. I [want to] thank the president Catia Pedrini and the team manager Sartoretti, and I can’t wait to work with a great coach like Rado Stoychev. I am fully aware of the fact that we’ll have to work hard, but doing so along with high level champions will be a pleasure. I’ll try to learn some secrets from everybody, especially from Salvatore Rossini, one of the strongest liberos both in Italy and internationally.”

Welcome in Modena, Federico!

#SoloModena #AvantiGialli

Two members of Modena Volley Youth team have been added to the first team: Giulio Pinali (wing spiker) and Alberto Marra (middle blocker).

Welcome to the first team, Giulio and Alberto!

#SoloModena #AvantiGialli

Modena Volley completes their roster with the return of the middle blocker Elia Bossi, who’s been the best prospect that ever came out of Modena Volley’s youth team.

Welcome back, Elia!

#SoloModena #AvantiGialli

The American player Jennings Franciskovic will be Modena Volley’s new reserve setter. He has been part of the University of Hawaii team in NCAA. Here’s his statement concerning his transfer:

“I’ ve always dreamt of getting a contract as a pro player, and signing for one of the world’s most important teams is magical. I love playing and winning, always giving my 100%, [and] I’ll have the chance to grow and learn everyday playing along with Bruno Rezende, who has always been one of my reference points. In mOdena, I’ll have to show that I can play at the highest level, I’m ready to take on this challenge and I can’t wait to start!”.

Welcome in Modena, Jennings!

Photo credit: hawaiiwarriorworld.com

“To play at PalaPanini while wearing the jersey worn by so many champions before me has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. Indeed, words can’t explain the feeling of lifting a trophy there. Thanks to Modena Volley and especially to all the fans for their support and affection. There will always be a bit of yellow and blue in my heart. See you soon!”

Here’s Santi Orduna’s message to the fans, since he will join Bunge Ravenna for the upcoming volleyball season. As a fan, I’ve been honoured to support such a hard-working, dedicated and kind player, whose love and respect for the jersey he was wearing is hard to match. Thank you for having been part of our history. I wish you all the best, you deserve it.

#SoloModena #NSLS

Photo credit: Modena Volley official fb

Disclaimer: Obviously, the translation isn’t literal nor perfect, as it’s almost impossible to translate many Italian idioms (unless you’re a professional translator whom I am not). However, the translation is still as close as possible, keeping the actual meaning of the players’ words.

Andrea Argenta will be Modena Volley’s new reserve opposite! The young and talented player has been the A2 Italian Championship’s top scorer, and he is considered to be one of the most promising Italian opposites .

Here’s his statement about his transfer from Potenza Picena Volley to Modena:

“Modena isn’t just a club...it’s the club! It’s a special team, a special place with a unique arena. I’m excited about the idea of being alongside with great champions such as Bruno, Ngapeth, Holt and many more. It’s a dream that comes true, a starting point, the best one in the world for a volleyball player.”

Welcome in Modena, Andrea!

#SoloModena #NSLS

Source: Modena Volley official fb

2017 Italian SuperCup

It’s official, Lube Civitanova Marche will host the 2017 Italian SuperCup on October 7th and 8th.

The four teams qualified are Lube Civitanova Marche, Diatec Trentino, Sir Safety Perugia and Modena Volley.

The semifinals will be Trento-Perugia and.....guess what, Lube-Modena again!

#SoloModena #NSLS

Happy 31st birthday to the player who has proved his endless love for Modena more than once. The whole city can’t wait to see you back in action on our court again! Best wishes, captain Bruno!

#SoloModena #NSLS

Source: Modena Volley official fb

After three years, Matteo Piano leaves Modena Volley; the club had offered him to renew his contract, but he opted for playing on loan for Revivre Milano.

#SoloModena #NoiSiamoLaSquadra

Maarten Van Garderen, who played for Bunge Ravenna in the last two season, is Modena Volley’s new wing spiker!

Here’s his statement on his transfer:

“It’s been a very quick negotiation. Different teams had contacted my agent, but when Modena called, I had no doubt, you can’t say “no” to such a team and you don’t even need to think over it. Modena Volley has a great history, great fans and they have built a great team for next season. I want to win all the competitions we’ll take part in! [The reason why] I dedicded in the blink of an eye to sign [this contract] is that I can’t wait to be trained by a great coach like Stoychev and to be alongside with great champions. It will be a honour to wear the yellow jersey and I will always give 100%”.

Welcome in Modena, Maarten!

#NSLS #SoloModena

Source: Modena Volley official fb

Giulio Sabbi, the top scorer of the 2016/17 Italian Superlega, will be Modena Volley’s new opposite for the upcoming season!

Here’s his statement on his transfer:

“It’s hard to express my emotions, I’ll say without rethoric that I’ve had chills every time I’ve walked into the temple of PalaPanini as an opponent, let alone now that I’ll wear the yellow jersey of Modena. I’m happy and proud and I really can’t wait to start this season. For me, this is the second chance at the highest level and this time I can’t and I don’t want to fail. Playing with a setter like Bruno is really amazing, and the same goes for being alongside with Ngapeth and many other champions. This team is something extraordinary, I’ll be very excited at the beginning, then I’ll start to hit the ball and things will get serious. I expect important results from this summer, people really believe in our National Team and we’ll do our best to reach great results while waiting for entering the temple...”

Welcome in Modena, Giulio!

#NSLS #SoloModena

Source: Modena Volley official fb

Nemanja Petric

“Thank you, Modena! Thank you for having taken me in your arms, thank you for having smiled with me through victories and thank you for having hugged me through defeats! Thank you for having given me the chance to wear the history of volleyball, and to wear it as the captain! It’s been a honour! Thank you for having helped me to make my dream come true, a dream called Scudetto! Thank you, Modena! Thank you for these three amazing, unforgettable and unrepeatable years! I dedicate these three years to you, Modena, to those people who fill the PalaPanini every Sunday and to those who have always been by my team and teammates’ side! These have been three unique years! Thank you Modena! I will bring your eyes, Modena, with me forever. I arrived with a Serbian heart, and now I leave with a half-Serbian, half-Modenese heart! Hence, for every time you’ve told me “Thank you”, this time I tell you “Thank you, my dear Modena”!

Goodbye for now, thank you for everything!”

This is Nemanja Petric’s message to Modena and the fans. As I did in my previous post, I want to highlight not just the great athlete, but especially the outstanding person he is. Supporting you with the Yellow jersey has been a true honour. You are unforgettable. You will always be one of us. But everything I might say now is bound to pale if compared to the meaningful words you had for the city and the people of Modena. Goodbye my dear Captain Petric, I wish you all the best.

#SoloModena #NSLS

Source: Nemanja Petric official fb

When you are a volleyball fan, you are fully aware of the fact that the players you are fond of won’t wear the same jersey till the end of time. When your love for the sport is combined with a deep-rooted passion for a specific team, you know that the players of that club, whose poster is on your bedroom wall, won’t be there forever. Yet, you still get very affectionate to some of them, for a variety of disparate reasons.

To me, one of them is Nemanja Petric. When he first arrived in Modena back in 2014, he was one of the key players in the new club’s project, aimed at taking Modena Volley back to the top level of volleyball. Indeed, they accomplished that. I do think none of the trophies and victories achieved so far would have been possible without Nema.

If I had to choose my favourite memory of his career in Modena, I would definitely opt for a specific point he scored during the legendary tie-break in the playoff final last year. He scored the ace which brought Modena 9-9 against Perugia, after a disadvantage of 5 points. As his teammate Salvatore Rossini said back then, “I will never forget the roar of the crowd on that ace”.

Another remarkable moment was the victory of the 2016 SuperCup, a trophy that he won as the team’s captain. In an interview following the award ceremony, a journalist told him: “It is thought that things never happen the same way twice. Yet, you managed to pull another crazy comeback in the tie break from a disadvantage of five points, in the very same place, against the same team.” He replied: “That isn’t true, things can always happen again! I was sure we could pull another comeback like the one we did in the playoff final!”.

Nemanja Petric is an extremely valuable player, but first and foremost, he is a valuable person, a gentleman always kind and respectful towards anybody he meets. I’m so sorry Nema and Modena parted ways. I’m sorry this happened after a season marked by many ups and downs from all the players. I’m sorry it happened after he had taken over the role of captain. I’m sorry that we, as fans, lose the chance to root for him on our court, with the Yellow jersey.

This post was meant just to announce that Petric will play for Halkbank Ankara next year. Actually, it turned into a page of personal diary, where I utter my melancholic feelings about him leaving. Thank you for having been part of this team. Thank you for having helped it to win everything you won. You are one of the landmarks in Modena’s history, and this can’t be taken away from you, nor from our memories. All Modena fans wish you all the best, and we mean it.

The blog won’t be active till the 8th of June, as I’m taking the CPE English exam on that day (hello anxiety my old friend) but as soon as I’ll be done with it, I’ll be back with all the news about Modena Volley :)