Tokyo 2020, Italy team flop: volleyball disappointment

Italy shines at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but in team sports it is flop. No medals from volleyball and water polo, out with their heads held high but still out in basketball. In an edition of the Games that will go down in history in Italy especially for the exploits of Marcell Jacobs and Gianmarco Tamberi in athletics, both on the top step of the podium respectively in the 100 meters and in the high jump, the negative notes come from the national teams. which often gave joy and emotions to the movement. Read also THE VOLLEYBALL WITH THE HEADLIGHTS OFF Expectations were disappointed especially in volleyball, where on the eve of the Games the podium seemed possible. The blues, who were among the favorites for gold and who today were clearly defeated 3-0 by world champion Serbia in the quarter-finals. The same fate had previously befallen the men’s Italvolley, always out in the quarterfinals against Argentina who won at the tie-break.DELUDE THE SETTEBELLOLetal quarters also for Settebello in the men’s water polo tournament: the team of coach Sandro Campagna surrenders to Serbia for 10-6 in the remake of the semifinal of Rio 2016, with the Serbs who then went to win the Olympic gold against Croatia. Azzurri then down from the podium after the silver in London 2012 and the bronze in Rio. In Tokyo, however, the Setterosa has not even arrived. In fact, the Italians stopped at the pre-Olympic, defeated first by Hungary and then by Greece in the two decisive matches. Coach Sacchetti’s national team certainly did not start among the favorites, but they shone in the group stage and came close to a sensational comeback against France. Little consolation, however, in an edition of the Games with more shadows than lights for the teams.