Rome, 29 August (LaPresse) – It's time for Italy's round of 16 match at the Women's Volleyball World Cup. The match is scheduled for tomorrow at 12 noon Italian time at the PalaHuamark in Bangkok, where the Azzurre will face Germany, coached by Italian Giulio Bregoli, in the first knockout match of the tournament. This morning, captain Danesi and her teammates held their first training session at the PalaHuamark, already the scene of their Nations League success on 23 June 2024. It was the first success of the Velasco era, and now, back in Bangkok, the Azzurre will try to build on that starting with the match against Germany. ‘Germany is undoubtedly a strong team,’ said Velasco, "and precisely because they are a strong team, they will certainly cause us difficulties. They are physical, have improved a lot in reception and in every aspect of the game in general, thanks in part to the excellent work done by Giulio Bregoli. They are good at serving tactically, their middle blockers are very effective both in attack and at the net, and they also have experienced players such as Stigrot who can make an impact when called upon. I think we need to fight the mentality that when you win, you are very strong, and when you encounter difficulties, everything goes wrong. It's not that because we are Italy we have to win every match 3-0 or 3-1. You can also win in a tiebreak, as I often say to the girls, 32-30, but the important thing is to win. We must be strong in heart and spirit to withstand these difficulties and, above all, be ready for long matches full of pitfalls."