Pomi coach Caprara returns to WCWC finals a proud man

Pomi Casalmaggiore head coach Giovanni Caprara may be wearing a different color but on Sunday, but the Italian will be in an all too familiar scenario.

Caprara will face his former team Eczacibasi Vitra Istanbul, the defending champions, in the gold medal match of the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship.

And he will go toe-to-toe with Massimo Barbolini who was the coach of Pomi when it won the 2016 European title in April.

But the Italian is not the one to focus on sentiments. He’s just happy he’s coaching a team from his home country.

“I’m very very proud to play with an Italian club,” said Caprara Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena after Pomi blasted Volero Zürich in the semifinals, 25-27, 25-23, 25-17, 25-23. “I’m very very proud of it.”

Caprara, who led Eczacibasi to the 2015 title, added that the 2016 world championships was different.

“This tournament is a higher level, because we have eight teams, [while] last year [we] only had six,” he said. “And the two Turkish clubs are very very strong.”

Last year’s tournament had six teams, but with the Philippines hosting the 2016 edition, PSL-F2 Logistics Manila was included in the race together with Pomi, who is a first-timer.

VakifBank Istanbul, the runners-up in the 2016 European championships, will face Volero for the bronze medal.