On Friday, May 16th, in the semi-finals of the European Champions League, Perugia (Italy), where Ishikawa Yuki plays, defeated Halkbank Ankara (Turkey) 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-22) and advanced to the finals. Ishikawa was in the starting lineup and contributed to the victory by scoring 20 points, the most for both teams.
After the match, we spoke with Perugia's Agustin Rosell (middle blocker, Argentina).
T: Congratulations on your victory. How do you feel now?
Rosell: I'm really happy. My first goal was to reach the finals. So I'm very happy and satisfied with how I played today. But I have practice tomorrow, so I have to practice hard and prepare for the finals.
T: Although we won in straight sets, I think it was difficult in terms of content, as we were behind by a large margin in the first and third sets but then had to make a comeback.
Rosell: Yeah, for sure. I think we were down by six at the start (actually it was up to four), so our heads were really important. We were able to stay calm and stay focused on the next ball, and I think that was really big.
T: What did you think of your best friend Yuki's (Ishikawa Yuki) play today?
Rosell: I'm very happy for Yuuki. He needed to perform on a stage like this, in such an important moment like today. I always believed in him, so I'm very happy.
T: You don't know who your opponent will be in the final yet, but how do you plan to prepare?
Rosell: Yes, I think tomorrow's match (the other semi-final) will be a battle between two very strong teams. Whether it's Zabiercze or Jastrzebski, it will be similar difficulties, so we have to focus on our own game. We'll see how it goes.
T: How was your stay in Lodz, Poland?
Rosell: It's very good. I came here for the VNL Finals last year, so I feel a bit used to it. Poland is a great place to play, and the tournament is well organized and the environment is great. I'm grateful to be able to play here.
Photo: CEV, TOSHIKI
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