Vyacheslav Zaitsev volleyball player biography. Volleyball player of the Italian national team Zaitsev: never wanted to return to Russia

Vyacheslav Alekseevich Zaitsev(born November 12, 1952, Leningrad) - Soviet volleyball player, one of the best setters in the history of volleyball, long-term captain of Avtomobilist and the USSR national team, participant in three Olympics, Olympic champion (Moscow 1980), silver medalist of the 1976 Montreal Games and Seoul 1988, volleyball coach. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR (1978).

Player

He played in the Avtomobilist team (Leningrad) (1969-1987), in the Italian clubs Spoleto (1987-1989), Agrigento (1987-1989) and Città di Castello (1990-1992), the Swiss "Lugano" (1992-1993).

He made his debut in Avtomobilist at the end of 1969, as a seventeen-year-old schoolboy. In 1971, he became the European champion as part of the USSR youth team, and in the same year he won his first continental championship with the adult team. In 1977, he became captain of the USSR national team, and played for it until 1988, setting a record for the number of seasons in the country's main team.

In the 1970-1980s - a key player in Avtomobilist and the USSR national team, a student and closest assistant of Vyacheslav Platonov, Olympic champion, two-time world champion and seven-time European champion Vyacheslav Zaitsev was considered the best setter on the planet, was recognized as the best player in the 1981 World Cup, He was included in the list of the 24 strongest players in the USSR 17 times. For sporting achievements he was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor and the Order of Friendship of Peoples.

In the fall of 1987, Vyacheslav Zaitsev was the first Soviet volleyball player to go play in a foreign championship. For five seasons he played for three clubs in the Italian Serie A2 as a player and coach, and each led him to the strongest division of the Italian championship, Serie A1. He played his last match as a player at the age of forty, on November 14, 1992 - it was a Cup Winners' Cup game between the Swiss Lugano and the Spanish Soria.

On October 18, 2013, Vyacheslav Zaitsev was admitted to the Volleyball Hall of Fame as one of the best volleyball players of the 20th century.

Achievements

• Champion of the Games of the XXII Olympiad (1980).
• Silver medalist of the Games of the XXI Olympiad (1976).
• Silver medalist of the Games of the XXIV Olympiad (1988).
• Two-time world champion (1978, 1982).
• Silver medalist at the world championships (1974, 1986).
• Two-time World Cup winner (1977, 1981).
• Silver medalist of the World Cup (1985).
• Winner of the Goodwill Games (1986).
• Seven-time European champion (1971, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985).
• European champion among youth teams (1971).
• Champion of the World Universiade (1973).
• Two-time winner of the European Cup Winners' Cup (1982, 1983).
• Silver medalist of the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR (1975).
• Silver medalist of the USSR championships (1976-1982).
• Bronze medalist of the USSR championships (1972-1975, 1985, 1987).
• Winner of the USSR Cup (1983).

Trainer

He began his coaching career in August 1992 in Switzerland, in the Lugano team.

He returned to Russia in 1994 and joined the coaching staff of Belogorye, which in 1995 won the Russian Championship for the first time and won the National Cup. In 1996, he assisted the head coach of the Russian national team, Vyacheslav Platonov, at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. In 1997, he replaced the head coach of the national team who was ill and led it in the final competitions of the World League, where the Russians took 3rd place.

In 1998-2005 he again worked in Italy, with the youth teams of Serie A1 clubs. In the 2005/06 season, he was the senior coach of the Dynamo Moscow women's team, which became the champion of Russia. In 2006-2007 - head coach of the Russian men's youth team - European champion (2006) and silver medalist of the World Championship (2007); senior coach of Lokomotiv-Belogorye. From April to November 2008 - head coach of the Dynamo-Yantar club, from April 2009 - head coach of Metalloinvest, then again coach of Lokomotiv-Belogorye. From August 2011 to February 2014 he headed Kristall from Voronezh.

Family

Vyacheslav Zaitsev is married to Irina Pozdnyakova, a former athlete, world record holder in the 200 m breaststroke (1966), silver medalist at the European Championships in Utrecht 1966. They have two children - Anna and Ivan.

Anna, at the age of 18, married 20-year-old Italian Andrea Sabioni on January 5, 1993.

Ivan Zaitsev, born on October 2, 1988 in Spoleto, has Italian citizenship and is a player of the national team.

– Vyacheslav Alekseevich, how did your return to Belogorye take place?

– Life turned out in such a way that I moved to Belgorod for good. Yes, I receive a pension and an Olympic scholarship. My life is decent enough, and, in principle, I can live with it. But living without volleyball is no good! That's why I work. We have long had a good relationship with Gennady Yakovlevich [Shipulin] - he is a man who knows his job inside and out. He suggested to me: if you want, you will be a consultant; if you want, you will work with young people. I answered: “It’s up to you,” because today, I think he is one of the best organizers in Russia. And at the beginning of the summer, he connected me to the first team with a request to help Bogomolov and Brusentsev with the teams - Antipkin and Lesik. I agreed with great joy. Then Khamuttskikh began coaching the base, and Shipulin asked me to supervise the work of passers in the second team, and first of all in the youth team, which is coached by the famous coach Pavel Ivanov. Again, I happily agreed, because there are promising guys there who, hopefully, in a few years we will see in the first team.

- Who are these guys?

– First of all, I’m talking about passers. One's name is Egor(Egor Kazbanov, setter at Belogorya-2 – author’s note)- a long, red-haired, very promising guy. He looks like the Khamuttskys - just as thin, more than two meters. We must take into account that this is only his second year of passing. But he's evil! He listens, he absorbs. When he makes a mistake, he gets angry. We need to calm him down all the time and move him in the right direction. There are others, 15-16 year olds. They can’t walk yet, they need to be fed! But still, every single day there are two workouts. They work. One is 205 tall, I nicknamed him Blanzhe– there was such a Dutch passer. His hands were sticking out over the net; he practically didn’t need to jump. But we need to work with him, study. My job comes down to teaching the guys techniques and tactics. We need to help them grow so that they are psychologically ready. Because today the problem of ligaments is generally a huge problem for everyone.

Photo by Vladimir Yurchenko

– How do you assess the main setters of Belogorye? How problematic do you think Antipkin and Lesik are?

– A lot depends on the binder. In my opinion, 90 percent. If the head coach sets some task, the setter must carry it out. When I arrived, indeed, the situation with the teams was not very pleasant, because they sometimes took all initiatives with hostility. I tried to prove to them that they need to try something new. Now I think Shipulin and Beard(Vadim Khamuttskikh – author’s note)still convinced Antipkin, and you can see for yourself that the game has changed. The first tempos began to play out more, especially in the counterattack.

Unfortunately, many clubs in Russia today rely only on a strong attack: give me higher, and I will score. But higher it doesn’t work anymore. We saw this at both the World Cup and the European Championships. Even teams like Slovenia are changing the game. And I'm not even talking about the Italians or the French, who play a completely different volleyball, very fast. We need interaction and contact between all players, but first of all, contact between the head coach and the team. So that the setter understands that the main one didn’t just dream about something, that he wants to do it exactly like that. And then, of course, Shipulin's charisma plays a role. Every day a new idea appears in his head. And I am very pleased that Beard feels very strong support from him. He has authority. And the same Antipkin, with whom he had worked a year before in Surgut, began to perceive him.

Maybe Antipkin and Lesik didn’t perceive me. Maybe they thought I was saying something wrong. But in principle we said everything the same. It’s just that Antipkin and Lesik are already experienced people, old, and it’s very difficult to change anything in their game. They have already ingrained their own technique and tactics, their own thinking, which is very difficult to overcome. At some point they can change the game, but at the main moments they return to the old one. That is, they are readable - let's say so. In this regard, it is much easier with young people: their brains are not yet littered. We work on their heads so that they learn to think.

- It turns out that a unique situation has arisen in Belogorye, when there are two coaches on staff - specialists in ligaments. This is not the case in other clubs in the Russian Super League, is it?

- Of course not! Who? Students being taught physical education? What are they taught there? Here we are taking coaching courses: I tell them and show them, and their eyes widen: “This is the first time we’ve heard about this.” What, you weren’t taught this? “No,” they say, “they just throw the ball to us and go pass it.” So what is this? People who coach don't know the nuances of working with passing players. Who among our passers became our coach? Mostly forwards became coaches. Now Beard has taken this, so to speak, winding path. And this work, I tell you, is not sugar. This is both a nervous burden and responsibility. As they say, the team wins and the coach loses.

Why am I talking about this? This topic has been discussed for many years: the volleyball federation wanted to organize courses for young passing players. They wanted and wanted everything, but they didn’t do anything. The only time, two years ago, the then head coach of all national youth men's teams of the country Sergei Shlyapnikov called me to Anapa and invited 12 passers. We worked there for two weeks. I was shocked by what I saw. We had to start everything from scratch: teach them to walk, place their hands, move, pass... Now Gennady Yakovlevich will return to normal - we will try to organize such courses in Belgorod.

– You worked in Italy for a long time. Is everything organized differently there?

– In Italy the system worked and still works: there are people there who personally deal with the players. Personally. They regularly hold screenings, seminars, groups of coaches who represent the federation travel and gather players from different regions, recruiting promising young people. They are hunting for foreigners. Europe is united, they have no limit. Where did Travica come from? Serbia. Where is Zaitsev from? Russia. Kovar - Czech Republic. And this Gianelli (setter for the Italian team - author's note)), who suddenly appeared out of nowhere: once - and a 19-year-old kid showed up, who practically tore everyone apart both at the World Cup and at the European Championships. Because in Italy they raise people. They give them the opportunity to play. Unfortunately, we do not have this opportunity. Who is considered young here? Team debutant – 30 years old. It is not right. I think you have to take risks. Let the main passer be experienced, old, but the second one must be young.

Photo by Vladimir Yurchenko

– In your opinion, did the team benefit from replacing the Italian Travica with our passers?

– I can say one thing: the Italian mentality is different from the Russian one. He plays the way he was taught. I myself worked in Italy, led four teams from Serie A2 to A1, to the Super League. This could only be achieved through combination play, through the interaction of the head coach with the passer. And Travica... Yes, he had a good, stable pass. But it was also readable. In the first year, when he just arrived and started showing his game, everything worked out. But gradually they got used to it...

I remember at my son’s wedding, Dragan came up to me and asked: “There is an offer from Belgorod. Agree?" I say: don’t even think about it, pack your bag and leave! There is a good team, leader, and atmosphere there. “I’m afraid,” he says, “it’s a different city and it’s cold.” But you’re a Serb, not an Italian – it’s okay, you’ll get used to it! AND I once told Shipulin that this is the best acquisition of a passing player. But then - I don’t know for what reason - I had to part with him. I assume that Gennady Yakovlevich wants to make a team without foreigners. Next year, perhaps, there will be no foreign players on the team at all. Well, why are they needed? Pay through the nose?

– So Groser won’t return to the team?

- Don't know. Where is Zhigalov? Zhigalov is on loan and is playing very well now. Danilov is here. Baranov, although already old. Why pay big money when there are young guys who only need experience? I understand that results are needed. We live in a time where there is a result - there is everything. I don't know if Grozer will return. If the economic situation changes for the better, it will come back. Yes, he is a good guy, and thanks to him for helping us qualify for the Olympic Games, as he played against Russia in the qualifying tournament in the semi-finals. If he is for Russia, then let him get a Russian passport!

- And your son Ivan (leader of the Italian national team and Dynamo Moscow - author's note) not going to get a Russian passport? Would you like to see him in Belogorye?

- It does not depend on me. All affairs are handled by his agent. In Russia, five clubs wanted him, including Belogorye. Everything depended on the amount of the contract. I honestly don’t know what contract he has now. But I see that he is happy. He had a son, his family lives with him in Moscow, everything is fine. But he still needs to play and win. Because dad won gold, but he hasn’t yet - only silver (laughs). I gave him all my gold medals. He says: “I understand, I will strive!”

Photo by Yuri Bograd

Reference. Vyacheslav Zaitsev - Olympic champion (1980), Olympic silver medalist (1976, 1988), two-time world champion, two-time World Cup winner, seven-time European champion. For many years he was the captain of the St. Petersburg Avtomobilist and the USSR national team. In 1992 he began his coaching career. He worked in Switzerland, Italy, coached the men's and women's youth teams of Russia, the women's team of Dynamo Moscow, Belogorye and Metalloinvest, Kaliningrad Dynamo-Kristall, Voronezh Kristall. In 2013, he was inducted into the volleyball hall of fame as one of the best volleyball players of the 20th century.

Elena Baytinger

On Saturday, in the American city of Holyoke, the famous former setter of the USSR national team, the 1980 Olympic champion, was inducted into the international Volleyball Hall of Fame.

In addition to the Moscow Olympics, Vyacheslav Zaitsev won two World Championships and seven European Championships as part of the USSR national team in the 70s and 80s. Some consider him the best setter not only in Soviet, but also in world volleyball. So Zaitsev’s appearance in the Hall of Fame, where 13 other representatives of our country had ended up before him, was a matter of time. What was supposed to happen happened. And it’s even strange that Vyacheslav Alekseevich got into the Hall of Fame so late. 20 years after the end of his brilliant career, which he completed in 1993 in the Swiss Lugano.

Now Zaitsev is the head coach of the Voronezh "Crystal", which in the spring, after an 8-year break, promoted him to the second most important Russian division - the major league "A". The Voronezh team played their first round matches against Dynamo from the Leningrad Region over the weekend in their coach’s native St. Petersburg. Myself Zaitsev at that time he was on the road, returning from Holyoke to Russia. Yesterday afternoon he finally arrived in Voronezh - and immediately answered SE's questions.

- Congratulations! What did you bring with you from the Hall of Fame?

A ring, a memorial plaque and terrible fatigue. I haven't had such a long flight for a long time. But the reason is valid. In America I was given a luxurious reception. The ceremony was attended by the great American coach Doug Beal and two-time Olympic champion Karch Kiraly, who now leads the US women's team. We had a very warm conversation with the mayor of Holyoke - the guy is 20 years old, and he has already been entrusted with such a post...

The organizers also promised to show a film about me, but in the end the idea was not very successful. The tape turned out to be modest (laughs). Apparently there weren’t enough videos or photos, although the Americans had previously asked me for a personal archive. I also went on television, but the journalists didn’t bother me for a long time.

- Together with you, two women were inducted into the Hall of Fame - American Karen Kemner and Australian Natalie Cook. Did they come to Holyoke too?

Yes they were. The procedure is standard for everyone - presentation, ring, plaque. A copy of the one that remains forever in the volleyball museum.

- What is a ring?

White metal, engraved with first and last name inside. The year of entry into the Hall is indicated on the outside.

- With America - it’s clear. What about Voronezh? Are you satisfied with your current place of work?

Before Kristall, I held auxiliary positions for a long time - I helped Shipulin in Belgorod, then Losev in the women's Dynamo. But in Voronezh I was given the opportunity to train on my own, setting a specific goal. I'm interested. First, we had to reach the major league “A” - we did. Now we will try to gain a foothold at this level and prepare a springboard for further progress.

- In the 90s, you helped Shipulin in the Russian national team, which now wins all tournaments in a row. Can it become the same “dynasty” as the Soviet team of your times was?

Undoubtedly. If there is no dizziness from success. I really like the current team. There is a competent coach, leaders, the federation rejuvenated the squad in time. In general, we are waiting for the continuation.

- Who do you like best among the team's setters?

There are no personal sympathies, although I know everyone. Grankin had a very strong performance at the European Championships. Butko is also good and stable, but while Pavlov looks so great, he cannot play due to the limit on naturalized volleyball players.

- Can the very young setters Pankov and Kovalev soon break into the first team?

Based on our matches against Olimp, I liked Pankov - a strong, bright, smart guy. But Kovalev will probably get his chance in the national team even earlier. It is important that setters are tested by the national team at as young an age as possible. There are a lot of tournaments on the FIVB calendar, even too many. So why not experiment?

- Your son Ivan Zaitsev became the silver medalist of the 2013 European Championship as part of the Italian national team. Isn't it time for him to move to the strongest league in the world - that is, to the Russian championship?

Vanya has his own head on his shoulders, he is a grown guy. His life plans are definitely connected with Italy, and his career plans are for now “Macherata”. He has another year of contract, he wants to win something significant with his team in Serie A1. I think that Vanya may move to Russia in the future, but I don’t give him advice. He has been making such decisions on his own for a long time.

##1 Andrey ANFINOGENTOV

OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HALL OF FAME

"Latina" (2007-2008)
"Roma" (2008-2012)
"Macherata" (2012-2014)
Dynamo M (2014-2016)
"Perugia" (since 2016)

Biography

Born into a family of Soviet athletes, Olympic volleyball champion Vyacheslav Zaitsev and swimmer Irina Pozdnyakova, in the Italian city of Spoleto, where his father competed at that time. At the age of 7, he and his family ended up in his father’s hometown, St. Petersburg, where he went to school and started playing volleyball, but two years later he returned to Italy.

Ivan Zaitsev began his professional career in 2004 as a setter for the Perugia club, and in 2006 he moved to Roma (in both clubs he shared playing time with two-time world champion Paolo Tofoli). In 2008, together with Giorgio Domenghini, he became the champion of Italy in beach volleyball, played on the world and European beach tours and changed his role in classical volleyball - returning to Roma, which played in Serie A2, he began to enter the court as a finisher.

After the Olympics, he signed a contract with one of the leading Italian clubs - Macerata, where he began to play in the diagonal position. Zaitsev played in his new role in most matches of the Italian national team, starting with the 2013 World League. In September, he won the second silver medal in his career at the European Championship and received the prize for the best server of the tournament.

In the 2013/14 season he captained Macerata and won the Italian Championship. In May 2014, he announced his move to Dynamo Moscow, with whom he signed a three-year contract.

In July 2015, before the Final Six of the World League, Ivan Zaitsev, along with three teammates from the Italian national team, was expelled from the team for violating discipline. Before the World Cup, he was returned to the Italian national team by its new head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini, following the results of this competition he won a silver medal and an individual prize for the best diagonal. In August 2016, he became a silver medalist at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Achievements

In a club career

• Champion of Italy (2013/14).
• Finalist of the Italian Cup (2012).
• Winner of the Italian Super Cup (2012).
• Silver (2015/16) and bronze (2014/15) medalist of the Russian Championship.
• Bronze medalist of the Russian Cup (2015).
• Winner of the European Volleyball Confederation Cup (2014/15).

With the Italian national team

• * Silver medalist of the Olympic Games (2016), bronze medalist of the Olympic Games (2012).
• Silver (,) and bronze () medalist of the European Championships.
• Bronze medalist of the World League (,).
• Bronze medalist of the World Champions Cup (2013).
• Silver medalist of the World Cup (2015).

Individual prizes

• MVP of the Italian Super Cup (2012).
• He was included in the symbolic team of the “Final Six” of the World League (2013), World Cup (2015) and European Championship (2015).
• Best pitcher of the European Championship (2013).

Personal life

On May 18, 2013, Ivan Zaitsev married an Italian fashion model with Irish roots, Ashling Sirocci. On October 31, 2014, their son Sasha was born.

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Excerpt characterizing Zaitsev, Ivan (volleyball player)

When Petya left Moscow, leaving his relatives, he joined his regiment and soon after that he was taken as an orderly to the general who commanded a large detachment. From the time of his promotion to officer, and especially from his entry into the active army, where he participated in the Battle of Vyazemsky, Petya was in a constantly happily excited state of joy at the fact that he was great, and in a constantly enthusiastic haste not to miss any case of real heroism . He was very happy with what he saw and experienced in the army, but at the same time it seemed to him that where he was not, that was where the most real, heroic things were now happening. And he was in a hurry to get to where he was not.
When on October 21 his general expressed a desire to send someone to Denisov’s detachment, Petya so pitifully asked to send him that the general could not refuse. But, sending him, the general, remembering Petya’s crazy act in the battle of Vyazemsky, where Petya, instead of going along the road to where he was sent, galloped in a chain under the fire of the French and shot there twice from his pistol, - sending him, the general namely, he forbade Petya to participate in any of Denisov’s actions. This made Petya blush and became confused when Denisov asked if he could stay. Before leaving for the edge of the forest, Petya believed that he needed to strictly fulfill his duty and return immediately. But when he saw the French, saw Tikhon, learned that they would certainly attack that night, he, with the speed of transitions of young people from one glance to another, decided with himself that his general, whom he had hitherto greatly respected, was rubbish, the German that Denisov is a hero, and Esaul is a hero, and that Tikhon is a hero, and that he would be ashamed to leave them in difficult times.
It was already getting dark when Denisov, Petya and the esaul drove up to the guardhouse. In the semi-darkness one could see horses in saddles, Cossacks, hussars setting up huts in the clearing and (so that the French would not see the smoke) building a reddening fire in a forest ravine. In the entryway of a small hut, a Cossack, rolling up his sleeves, was chopping lamb. In the hut itself there were three officers from Denisov’s party, who had set up a table out of the door. Petya took off his wet dress, letting it dry, and immediately began helping the officers set up the dinner table.
Ten minutes later the table was ready, covered with a napkin. On the table there was vodka, rum in a flask, white bread and fried lamb with salt.
Sitting with the officers at the table and tearing the fatty, fragrant lamb with his hands, through which lard flowed, Petya was in an enthusiastic childish state of tender love for all people and, as a result, confidence in the same love of other people for himself.
“So what do you think, Vasily Fedorovich,” he turned to Denisov, “is it okay that I stay with you for a day?” - And, without waiting for an answer, he answered himself: - After all, I was ordered to find out, well, I’ll find out... Only you will let me into the very... main one. I don’t need awards... But I want... - Petya clenched his teeth and looked around, jerking his head up and waving his hand.
“To the most important thing...” Denisov repeated, smiling.
“Just please, give me a complete command, so that I can command,” continued Petya, “what do you need?” Oh, would you like a knife? - he turned to the officer who wanted to cut off the lamb. And he handed over his penknife.
The officer praised the knife.
- Please take it for yourself. I have a lot of these...” Petya said, blushing. - Fathers! “I completely forgot,” he suddenly cried out. “I have wonderful raisins, you know, the kind without seeds.” We have a new sutler - and such wonderful things. I bought ten pounds. I'm used to something sweet. Do you want?.. - And Petya ran into the hallway to his Cossack and brought bags containing five pounds of raisins. - Eat, gentlemen, eat.
– Don’t you need a coffee pot? – he turned to Esaul. “I bought it from our sutler, it’s wonderful!” He has wonderful things. And he is very honest. This is the main thing. I will definitely send it to you. Or maybe flints have come out and become abundant - because this happens. I took with me, I have here... - he pointed to the bags, - a hundred flints. I bought it very cheap. Please take as much as you need, or that’s all... - And suddenly, afraid that he had lied, Petya stopped and blushed.
He began to remember if he had done anything else stupid. And, going through the memories of this day, the memory of the French drummer appeared to him. “That’s great for us, but what about him? Where did they take him? Was he fed? Did you offend me?" - he thought. But having noticed that he had lied about the flints, he was now afraid.
“You could ask,” he thought, “and they’ll say: the boy himself felt sorry for the boy. I'll show them tomorrow what a boy I am! Would you be embarrassed if I asked? - thought Petya. “Well, it doesn’t matter!” - and immediately, blushing and looking fearfully at the officers, to see if there would be mockery in their faces, he said:
– Can I call this boy who was captured? give him something to eat... maybe...
“Yes, pathetic boy,” Denisov said, apparently not finding anything shameful in this reminder. - Call him here. His name is Vincent Bosse. Call.

The name of Vyacheslav Zaitsev speaks volumes to experienced volleyball fans. Until now, this Soviet player is considered one of the best setters in the history of volleyball. Zaitsev played for the USSR national team at three Olympics: one of them was gold, two were silver. His son Ivan followed in his father’s footsteps and also now plays for his country’s national team. True, not Russia, as one might assume, but Italy.

After the Italians’ victory in the semifinals, Zaitsev Jr. was one of the most popular in the mixed zone: he gave interviews not only in Italian, but also in English. The volleyball player also answered questions from R-Sport agency correspondent Alexandra Vladimirova. He answered in Russian.

- Ivan, you are in great demand today!

Well, yes, I'm kind of a polyglot (laughs). True, I’m slowly starting to forget Russian. I speak it little. Only with my family - my parents, my sister. At home we only speak Russian, but I don’t meet my family often lately. On the road all the time.

- Is volleyball more popular in Italy than in Russia?

In fact, there is only one Italian journalist here! The rest mostly spoke to me in English. But now I think that volleyball will become more popular. We are in a crisis. A little. Both in money and in volleyball. But now there is a total change, (Mauro) Berutto has arrived. The new coach has changed almost all the players, the work is ongoing. But now we have made it to the European Championship.

- It’s been a long time since the Italians played in the finals of such tournaments.

Yes, we haven't been there for six years. Moreover, we all play together and only train for four months. Therefore, this is a very big result for the Italian team. I hope this is just the beginning.

- Today's match against the Poles wasn't particularly difficult, right?

It was more difficult psychologically than physically. We really wanted to win this match, it was pressing. The stress on the head is great. But there were no special problems with “physics”. . We will try to relax today, rest, and tomorrow we will think only about victory, about gold.

- Will you be watching another semi-final match between Russia and Serbia today?

Certainly! I think Russia will win. With a score of 3-1.

- Last year, the Russians were also favorites in the match with the Serbs at the World Cup. But they lost.

Yes, I remember that meeting. But then there were big problems with the game, but now it’s a completely different story. They play well, they looked great at the World League! Everything, of course, is possible. But I think that your team should not have any problems reaching the finals.

- But it could have been your team...

Yes, I could. Maybe. Although it would be difficult to get into the team. I was born in Italy, but I studied my first four grades in St. Petersburg. And then he moved to Italy again.

- Do you follow the performances of the Russian national team?

Not really, not much. There is no time, we train all the time. But at this tournament, of course, I followed.

- Have you ever wanted to return to Russia again?

No, to be honest. Although I don’t feel 100% Italian, I still feel good in Italy: I live well and play well. That's where my life is.

- Was it not easy to get into the Italian national team?

Last year, yes, it was not easy. It's easier this year. At that time, I had only been playing as a striker for two years. Nobody knew me in this role, and I myself didn’t feel too confident. But at the last championship I played two sets with Serbia. At least it came in handy in the last game for 3rd-4th places. This season in the Italian league has also gone well.

- Does your father give advice?

Yes, having such a father, my future was almost predetermined (laughs). Now he gives little advice. At least much less than when I was a passer. Although even now his advice is very useful. I need to bring the game to automaticity.