Lorenzo Bernardi leads the Trentino Itas title defense

Lorenzo Bernardi leads the Trentino Itas title defense this October. He faces a difficult path following the team’s recent international commitments. Simone Giannelli, the 29-year-old two-time Best Setter, manages the court. Giannelli pushed himself to the limit to secure the back-to-back World Championships in the Philippines. He expressed a desire to stay at the highest level, yet the physical toll of the recent Olympic cycle remains evident. I see the heavy impact of that workload on his performance. The team relies on his setting to navigate a roster that lacks recent consistency. Giannelli helped Italy secure the gold medal against Bulgaria in a dramatic 25-10 fourth set at the Mall of Asia Arena before a crowd of 16,429 fans. During that tournament, the Italian squad defeated Argentina in the round of 16 and successfully knocked out the World No. 1 Poland in the semifinals to advance. He also honored Daniele Lavia, who missed the tournament with a finger injury, by wearing Lavia’s jersey during the ceremony. This squad worked hard to achieve a victory that Mattia Bottolo credited to their concentration. Giannelli’s ability to maintain elite status remains vital as the team seeks to defend its dominance.

The FIVB Men’s Club World Championship uses a specific format for its eight elite clubs. Two pools of four teams compete in a single round-robin stage. The top two teams from each pool advance to the semifinals, where the winner of Pool A meets the runner-up of Pool B. This October, the Italian league operates under new regulatory constraints. FIPAV approved new statutes on 22 February 2025, which recognize agents within the Italian legal system under D. Lgs. 37/2021. This legal framework follows the mandatory state law that governs all Italian sports. The FIPAV reform follows the mandate of the Italian legislature to establish a framework through D. Lgs. 37/2021, which requires agents to hold a licence and enroll in the Sports Agents’ Register maintained by CONI. This regulation follows Law n. 205/2017, art. 1, para 373, which previously only applied to football, basketball, cycling, and golf. The implementation decree n. 218/2025 strengthens these provisions and extends the regulatory framework across all Italian sports. The club must manage players who face exhaustion after national team duties, a problem clubs have reported for decades. The 19th edition of this tournament brings together teams like Sada Cruzeiro and Ciudad Voley. The Italian presence relies on teams like Trentino that qualify through continental success.

Trentino faces significant roster challenges. The team struggled with injuries to Alessandro Michieletto and Daniele Lavia during the previous season. Coach Marcelo Mendez must now find stability with a group that includes Adriano Xavier and Torwie. Xavier, a 24-year-old Brazilian hitter standing 201 cm tall, arrived to improve the position 4 slot. You should watch how the rotation of Gabi Garcia and Faure impacts the offensive rhythm. The team’s receiving and serving remains a massive weakness that plagued them throughout the previous season, when they finished last in the SuperLega for perfect touches. The roster lacks the depth found in top-tier opponents. Even with the addition of Aleksandar Nedeljkovic, a 207 cm middle blocker, the squad needs more consistency in the first touch. The team also deals with the departure of Jordi Ramon to the Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers and Alessandro Acquarone to Cannes. The squad must also rely on the performance of Bartha and the service of Torwie. Will the addition of Xavier provide the necessary firepower to secure the trophy?