Turin, Italy, September 28, 2018 - It's never easy to celebrate when surrounded by a melancholy atmosphere: the Poles chose a low profile on Pala Alpitour's court as the Italian rivals said goodbye to their fans after being eliminated. For Poland it's already time for short-term plans: there is a semifinal to play on Saturday night against the USA.
Vital Heynen, Poland coach: "The momentum of the match changed early, when Bartosz Kurek hit two aces and transformed a 3-3 into 7-3. There I understood we were stronger than Italy and that we would go to the next round."
Fabian Drzyzga, Poland setter: "Our best skill is the ability to start strong, immediately able to gain confidence and momentum. Now we must repeat that against the strongest team in the tournament."
Gianlorenzo Blengini, Italy coach: "Of course we did not come here for a fifth place. Truth is, only four teams go to the semis and we did not prove strong enough to get there."
Simone Giannelli, Italy setter: "We carry the Azzurro jersey with pride, we know its weight, and we are sad that we disappointed the Italian people with this elimination. But we will be back soon and restart from the bottom, with a different finale in mind."