The Italian men's national volleyball team. Volleyball World
MANILA (UPDATED) — World No. 2 Italy has taken the last finals spot in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
In a rematch of the 2022 World Championship finals, it was Italy which again triumphed over World No. 1 Poland, this time in the semifinals of the 2025 edition, 25-21, 25-22, 25-23, on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The defending champions leaned on Yuri Romano, who tallied a game-high 15 points built on 12 attacks, two blocks, and one ace, as Alessandro Michieletto followed with 12 points on 11 attacks and one point from the service line to go with six excellent receptions.
"I was very happy. I cried a little bit because the emotion is really strong. But we are just playing," said Romano after the game.
Captain-setter Simone Giannelli orchestrated that straight-set win with 24 excellent sets while adding nine digs.
The Italians, sitting on a 2-0 lead, were actually trailing in the third set, 14-17, but they found the run that erased that deficit, eventually tying at 18-all after a Michieletto service ace.
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The Giannelli-led squad established a three-point 22-19 cushion, completing an 8-2 run, but that was short-lived as the Poles refused to bank down. They came within one, after Wilfredo Leon blasted an attack, 22-21.
The Italians reached match point, 24-21, courtesy of Michieletto's kill, but a Romano service error and a Norbert Huber kill block injected some life into the Polish side, 24-23.
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Finding the much-needed point to close out the match, Italy's Michieletto once more rose to the occasion, unleashing a sharp spike from the backrow which Jakub Kochanowski could not dig to wrap up the one-hour, 25-minute battle.
"I'm very happy how we won this match, but you know, I respect a lot Poland team, Poland fans, so I want to say good luck for them for the bronze medal because a medal is every time a difficult thing to reach," said Giannelli, who is also the reigning World Championship Most Valuable Player and Best Setter.
Italy has a chance for a fifth crown and complement the women's team, which also won the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship.
Standing in their way from achieving back-to-back titles is challenger Bulgaria, paced by Nikolov brothers and rising stars Moni and Aleksandar.