Italy men's volleyball loses to Ukraine in VNL as clubs seek SuperLega entry and sign new talent

In the men's Volleyball Nations League match in Ljubljana, Italy was defeated 3-0 by Ukraine (25-23, 25-19, 25-16). Ukraine's Oleh Plotnytskyi and Vasyl Tupchi contributed 15 points each, while Italy's Mattia Bottolo scored 11. The loss leaves Italy facing Brazil in its next pool game.

Cisterna Volley submitted its application for admission to the 2026‑27 SuperLega, joining a list that includes Lube Civitanova, Modena Volley and other Italian clubs. Perugia announced the signing of 21‑year‑old French opposite Mathis Henno, a former U19 world champion and MVP, for the 2024‑25 season. Domestic transfer activity also saw VBC Cremona add Canadian opposite Natasha Calkins, opposite Chiara Muzi and outside hitter Irene Mescoli, while Allianz Milano brought in 16‑year‑old setter Simone Porro. These moves underline a busy period for Italian volleyball at both the national team and club levels.