Two of the world’s finest setters went head-to-head on Sunday night in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, with Italy’s Simone Giannelli outdueling Argentina’s Luciano De Cecco to lead the defending champions into the quarterfinals.
Giannelli expertly orchestrated Italy’s offense as they fended off a determined Argentina in straight sets, 25-23, 25-20, 25-22, securing a spot in the quarterfinals on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The 29-year-old Italian star said it was always an honor to face one of the most accomplished playmakers in history in De Cecco, whom he frequently competes against in the Italian Volleyball League.
“For sure, it’s an honor for me to compete against him,” said the reigning FIVB Men’s World Championship MVP.
“I’ve played against him for many years — unfortunately for me. He is an amazing player, one of the best setters of all time. Even now, he’s incredible. It’s very difficult to read him and very difficult to play against him at the net,” he added.
Giannelli showcased his command of Italy’s offense with 34 excellent sets. Meanwhile, De Cecco contributed 26, keeping Argentina competitive throughout the one-hour, 19-minute match.
“It was a tough match. We were down 2-0, and it was very difficult for us. I’m very happy because we stayed present and focused on the court, every point. We fought for every point, and I think that was the crucial factor for us,” said De Cecco, the tournament’s reigning Best Setter.
After overcoming De Cecco and Argentina, Giannelli is now turning his focus to the quarterfinals, where Italy will face either Belgium or Finland on September 24.
The Sir Safety Perugia star believes the key will be to stay in the moment and focus on their own game.
“I think every opponent we face will be a tough match — for us and for them. We don’t want to overthink it,” he said.
“We have to focus on our volleyball, go to the court, do the work, reset a little, and get some rest. We want to compete with everyone. So now, we wait and see.”
#WATCH: Italy’s Simone Giannelli says it’s always an honor to play against Argentina’s Luciano de Cecco 🇮🇹🏐
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times#MWCH2025 pic.twitter.com/TrCeK2cDp0
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 21, 2025
