Trento, Italy, April 22, 2014.  Italy’s TRENTINO Volley will be making its sixth consecutive appearance at the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship to be held from May 5 through 10 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  The FIVB officially announced on Wednesday that one of two wild cards will be granted to TRENTINO Volley and was a welcome opportunity for the team to be among one of Europe’s two representatives in the competition.

“The wild card granted by the FIVB is a tangible recognition of TRENTINO’s achievements in the international arena thanks to the results but also to the seriousness and professionalism we have carried out on our commitments in the recent past,” said General Manager Bruno Da Re.  

The team is now given a gesture of confidence having won the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship a record four times from 2009 to 2012 and the chance to write a different ending after its unsuccessful bid to take the title last year, when it finished third in Betim.

TRENTINO’s coach Roberto Serniotti will make the most of the remaining time to prepare for the competition.

“We will try to make the most of the two weeks we have to prepare,” said Serniotti. “We will give our best in the tournament.  Brazil’s Sada Cruzeiro BELO HORIZONTE will be the favorite, but other teams will fight to the end – the strong Russian team Belogorie BELGOROD, Argentina’s UPCN SAN JUAN and Iran’s Matin VARAMIN.  Our goal first is to qualify to the semifinals and we have already started to scout our opponents to better prepare for this tournament.”

Emanuele Birarelli, TRENTINO’s captain, gets a sense of pride participating in events like the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship.  

“Participating in an international event like the Club World Championship is a privilege that very few players can boast in their curriculum,” said Birarelli. “In one season, we are playing at the championship for the second time and we should see this as an incredible opportunity being offered to us by the FIVB.  The past does not matter; what is important is to get on the court and feel driven to get another great result.  It is necessary to reestablish our confidence to win and set aside the negative aspects that have affected our season as we have the credentials to do so.”