A2 M - La Vela Ancona starts on Saturday from Lavagna

Before the start of the Serie A2 men's championship for the water polo players of Vela Ancona, and before their first away game, this time in the northern group, in Lavagna, with the match starting at 5:00 PM. Coach Marco Risso's team is entering the new season after narrowly missing the playoffs last season, with some new additions and a strong desire to showcase their qualities in a group that coach Risso is very familiar with: "A highly competitive group this year, it is a northern A2 that looks like a second A1 league, with big names like Torino, Camogli, Bogliasco, names with a strong tradition and also important from a technical point of view. Chiavari and Torino seem like two powerhouses for this league, it will be necessary to understand a bit more about the Lombard teams, on which I refrain from passing judgement as I am not familiar with them. For us, it will always be long journeys, last year I adapted to the southern group, now I know the northern group very well, but the boys will have to readapt to this group, also considering the fact that we have played few friendlies so far." When asked about the team and their ambitions in this group, Marco Risso continues: "Within this championship, of which we know little, our ambitions are there. To aim as high as possible and, if feasible, to compete for a playoff spot, but it will depend a lot on us and on the level of the championship. Torino, Chiavari, Bogliasco, Camogli, Sori, but we want to compete to be among the top four." About Saturday's match, Risso concludes: "It's the first match of the season, the strangest match, starting away is certainly not easy, I coached in Lavagna for four years, a very hot field. We are coming into this match with some slight injuries, but it's the first match of the season, instinct will count for a lot. We will be ready, not at our best, but ready to give a spirited performance."
Here is the roster of Vela Ancona participating in the Serie A2 league (new arrivals' origins in parentheses): goalkeepers Edoardo Bartolucci and Giorgio Firmani; field players Alessandro Baldinelli (from Bologna), Giacomo Baldinelli, Diego Bartolucci, Nicola Breccia, Emiliano Calesini (from Brescia), Mattia Catamo (from Fermo), Piergiorgio Dottori (from Perugia), Leonardo Gara, Nicola Mengoli (from Bologna), Mattia Milletti, Tommaso Milletti, Simone Pantaloni, Riccardo Pieroni, Alberto Pierpaoli, Giacomo Sabatini, Vicenc Zurita (from Spain).

Giuseppe Poli
Press Office Vela Nuoto Ancona
Photo: Mattia Milletti of Vela Ancona