This volleyball player is spreading fear around the world. Will the Poles be able to stop him?

The Poles and Italians know each other well. Both teams have been competing for the most coveted awards for several years. The exception was last year's Olympic tournament, where the French once again demonstrated their strength, defending the title they won three years earlier in Tokyo in Paris. The Poles finished with the silver medal, while the Italians were left with a grudge.

Nations League: Alessandro Michieletto is Italy's greatest weapon

The world champions finished fourth at the 2024 Olympics. Italy first lost the semifinal to France (0-3), and then in the bronze medal game, the Italians were unable to win even a set against the Americans (0-3).

It's no surprise, then, that coach Ferdinando De Giorgi's team wants to win everything there is to win in the 2025 season. Sunday's final against Poland will be the Italian team's first Nations League appearance .

What's known about the Italian team? Marcin Nowakowski, assistant coach to Nikola Grbić, spoke directly from China. It's no secret that Alessandro Michieletto is a standout figure who will require special attention. Although Italy has several key players in their ranks, overall they form a truly solid team.

"Italy is a team that can't be confined to a single formula. And there's no single solution. They're a very well-organized team, with a very good block-defense system, which, combined with our block-defense system and strong serve from both sides, could lead to a very long match, full of extended attacks. Which should please the fans (laughter). Alessandro Michieletto is definitely someone to watch out for, as he's currently in excellent form. We'll certainly try to limit him, as getting him off the pitch could be impossible. If we limit him somehow and maintain the quality of our own play, focus on our own elements, then combined with solid tactics for the remaining players, we believe it will lead to ultimate success," analyzed Nikola Grbić's assistant just before the 2025 VNL final.

It's worth noting that Michieletto is only 23 years old. The 211 cm tall receiver scored a whopping 26 points in the semifinal match against Slovenia, clearly being the best player on the court. His performance in the quarterfinal against Cuba wasn't much worse. The Italians won 3-1, and Michieletto was once again the winning side's top scorer, with 17 points.

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VNL 2025: Poland vs. Italy for the gold medals! When and where to watch the final?

The final clash between Poland and Italy for the gold medal of the VNL 2025 will start on Sunday (i.e. August 3) at 1:00 p.m. Polish time.

Italy defeated Slovenia 3-1 in the semifinals, and Poland defeated Brazil in three sets. This will be a match between the European champions and the world champions.

All matches of the VNL 2025 men's volleyball final tournament will be broadcast on Polsat Sport. Additionally, matches of the Polish national team will be included in the schedule of the open-source Polsat channel. Online broadcasts will be available on the Polsat Box Go platform.

Read also: Tomasz Fornal's injury. Will the Polish national team leader play in the final? Read also: Michał Kubiak bitterly criticizes the Polish national team. "We can say it's cool."