Italy captain Simone Giannelli stressed their sweep of Belgium was about execution, not revenge, as the defending champions marched into the 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship semifinals.
Defending champions Italy showed no signs of pressure as they dismantled Belgium in straight sets, 25-13, 25-18, 25-21, in the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship quarterfinals on Wednesday, September 24, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The result was a resounding response to their Pool F stumble, where Belgium stunned the Azzurri in five sets, 25-23, 25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 15-13.
But for team captain Simone Giannelli, this was never about settling scores.
“Not revenge”
“Not revenge. Revenge is not part of us,” Giannelli insisted. “They deserved to win that match in the first round because they played better than us. They won 15-13, so it was a tough match. Today, we came here with a plan with what we did against them and I'm very happy because it was a difficult match for us but we deserved to win today.”
Giannelli credited the world No. 2’s turnaround to careful adjustments made after their group-stage meeting.
“We studied that match a lot. In that match we played not so good, but they were on fire, especially Reggers and Deroo. Tonight, we came back in the court with a plan, with an idea on how to play against them.”
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Statement win
Belgium, playing in their first World Championship quarterfinal, could not match Italy’s tempo this time.
The Azzurri controlled the first two sets with ease and shrugged off a brief challenge in the third to seal the victory.
Simone Giannelli and Italy had to plenty to smile about after their dominant win vs Belgium. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
It was a balanced effort for the world No. 2 side, with Roberto Russo scoring 10 points, Alessandro Michieletto adding nine, and Mattia Bottolo finishing with eight.
With the win, Italy punched its ticket to the semifinals and reaffirmed its status as a contender for back-to-back titles.
Poland or Turkiye
Looking ahead, Giannelli knows the road will only get tougher. Italy awaits the winner between world No. 1 Poland and upstart Turkiye for a place in the final.
“Now the level goes up. For us it will be difficult, because both teams are amazing. Poland maybe is the best team of this World Championship. Turkey is another very good team. So it will be hard for us, but we will try to do our best,” he said.
The knockout semifinals will be on Saturday, September 27, still at the MOA Arena.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.