Andrea Giani (born 22 April 1970) is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player who scored numerous successes in the 1990s, including three World Championships with his national team. He was an all-rounder able to play both as an outside hitter and as a middle blocker, but he played several times as an opposite spiker too. [1]
Giani’s father, Dario, was a rower who took part in the 1964 Summer Olympics for Italy. After having trained with the father, now a rowing coach, Andrea tried for brief period as a football player, in 1985 the 14-year-old Giani began his career as a volleyball player in the local team of Sabaudia, in the Southern Latium, where he lived. Soon news about his qualities spread and attracted attention from the two main volleyball club of Italy of the period: Panini Modena and Santal/Maxicono Parma.
Giani was chosen to play for the latter, initially with the junior team under Gian Paolo Montali as coach. Giani’s first final for scudetto in the Parma major team was in 1987. Parma was defeated, as well as in the following seasons. Giani won in 1990 his first scudetto, it was to be followed by four more. In the meantime, in 1988, Giani had scored against Finland his first cap for the Italy, his career with the Azzurri colours ended in 2005 after a total of 474 caps (record), becoming one of the most renowned players in Italy and in the world for his excellent technical and jumping capabilities. With Italy Giani won three World Championship titles in a row (1990, 1994 and 1998) and four European Championship (1993, 1995, 1999, 2003) and many others. He won three medals at the Olympic Games but his team never won the gold medal, even though Italy was generally considered the top favourites. He won silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games and 2004 Olympic Games, and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and make Golden time with team other members. During his career Giani became renowned for his polyvalence, starting as a middle blocker, he turned into a power attacker and passer. Giani before Modena, played in Parma 1985-1996 and winner three Italian Championship Serie A and Club World Championship.
After having quit the national team, Giani played for Cimone Modena until 2008 and winner two CEV Champions League. He taking the reins of the team as manager starting from season 2007–2008. His nickname is Giangio and at the season winner CEV Challenge Cup 2008. Giani at 2009-2010 year won Championship Serie A2 with M. Roma Volley. Giani became the manager of the Slovenia men's national volleyball team in May 2015. [2] Few months later he led Slovenia to victory in the European Volleyball League, which secured them a spot at the 2016 FIVB Volleyball World League. In October Slovenia unexpectedly won their first medal on a major volleyball tournament, after reaching the Final of the 2015 Men's European Volleyball Championship where they were defeated by France. In 2017, Giani replaced Vital Heynen as head coach of the Germany men's national volleyball team. [3]
1996–97 – with Modena Volley 1997–98 – with Modena Volley
1987–88 – with Maxicono Parma 1988–89 – with Maxicono Parma 1989–90 – with Maxicono Parma 1991–92 – with Maxicono Parma 1994–95 – with Maxicono Parma 2003–04 – with Modena Volley Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma
Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma Italian Cup, with Maxicono Parma Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma Italian Championship, with Maxicono Parma Italian Cup, with Modena Volley Italian Championship, with Modena Volley Italian SuperCup, with Modena Volley Italian Cup, with Modena Volley Italian Championship, with Modena Volley 2007–08 – with Modena Volley 2015–16 – with Calzedonia Verona 
Lorenzo Bernardi is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player, a silver medallist at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, two–time World Champion, and a two–time European Champion.
Gian Paolo Montali is an Italian volleyball coach who has won two Volleyball European Championships with Italian national team.
Pasquale Gravina is a manager and a former Italian professional volleyball player.
Nikola Grbić is a Serbian professional volleyball coach and former player who is currently serving as head coach for the Poland national team. Grbić is a gold medalist of the 2000 Summer Olympics, a bronze medalist of the 1996 Summer Olympics, and a multiple World Championship, European Championship, and World League medalist. He was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Andrea Gardini is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player, a silver and bronze Olympic Games medallist, three–time World Champion, and four–time European Champion. Gardini was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2007. Gardini currently serves as head coach for the Polish PlusLiga team, Skra Bełchatów.
Andrea Anastasi is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player. He was a member of the Italy national team from 1981 to 1991, and during his career won the 1990 World Champion title. Since the 2023–24 season, he has been serving as head coach for Gas Sales Piacenza.
Andrea Sartoretti is an Italian former volleyball player.
Julio Velasco is an Argentine former professional volleyball player and coach. He's had Italian citizenship obtained in 1992. Velasco was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2005. Velasco currently serves as a sports director for the Italian Volleyball Federation.
Serena Ortolani is an Italian volleyball player.
Ivan Vyacheslavovich Zaytsev, nicknamed lo Zar, is an Italian professional volleyball player of Russian origin, the captain of Italy men's national volleyball team, a bronze medalist of the Olympic Games London 2012, silver medalist of the European Championship, bronze medalist of the World League, Italian Champion (2014) and silver medalist of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
Uroš Kovačević is a Serbian professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for Ural Ufa and the Serbia national team. Kovačević has won 2 European Champion titles and the 2016 World League with Serbia.
The Slovenia men's national volleyball team represents Slovenia in international volleyball competitions and friendly matches, and is governed by the Volleyball Federation of Slovenia. The team made its debut at major tournaments in 2001, when it competed at the European Volleyball Championship. Between 2015 and 2021, Slovenia reached the final of the European Championship three times and finished as runners-up on all three occasions after losing to France, Serbia and Italy, respectively.
Jenia Grebennikov is a French professional volleyball player of Russian descent who plays as a libero for Zenit Saint Petersburg and the France national team. Grebennikov won a gold medal in the men's tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and is the 2015 European Champion.
Francesca Ferretti is an Italian professional volleyball player who plays as a setter. As a member of the Italy women's national volleyball team she played in many international competitions and is a World Cup and European Championship winner. At club level she plays for Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena and has won national and international competitions with the clubs she played for.
Matteo Piano is an Italian volleyball player, a member of Italy men's national volleyball team and Revivre Milano. Matteo Piano has a standing reach of 209 cm. He was silver medalist at the 2016 Olympics and the 2015 World Cup, silver medalist at the European Championship 2013, and bronze medalist of the World League.
Luca Vettori is an Italian volleyball player, a member of Italy's men's national volleyball team and the Italian club Modena Volley. He was a silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics and at the 2013 European Championship, and two times bronze medalist in the World League. With Modena, he won the Italian title for clubs in 2015-2016.
Earvin N'Gapeth is a French professional volleyball player, member of the France national volleyball team and Italian club Modena Volley, 2015 European Champion, gold medallist of the World League, French Champion (2010), Italian Champion (2016), and Olympic Champion (2020).
Simone Giannelli is an Italian volleyball player, a member of the Italy men's national volleyball team and Italian club Sir Safety Perugia, silver medalist of the 2015 World Cup, bronze medalist of the 2015 European Championship, and gold medalist of the 2021 Men's European Volleyball Championship and the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship.
Salvatore Rossini is an Italian professional volleyball player, a member of the Italy men's national volleyball team and Italian club Azimut Modena. He was silver medalist of the 2016 Summer Olympics and of the 2015 World Cup, and medalist of the European Championship.
Roberto Piazza is an Italian professional volleyball coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Netherlands national team and Allianz Milano.
|  | |
| | ||
| | ||
| | ||
| | ||
| | ||
| | ||
