Coach Paolo Moretti after the Umana Venezia–Openjobmetis Varese match:

“It’s very difficult and hard for me to comment on such a decisive defeat although I think that a clear lead came out in favour of Umana, especially after the interval. My only regret is that after a difficult start, we regrouped and we got back into the game in a decisive manner, because we did the things we had prepared to do to confront Venice. Unfortunately, in the last minute and a half of the second period, we made mistakes that, until that point we’d never made and thus a half time of 9–0 was established against us, which was a psychological blow. After the break, we returned to court without even considering those things that kept us afloat in the first half. The second downside is that we couldn’t bear the brunt of Venice on two fronts —technically, because we dribbled too much and passed the ball too infrequently against their aggressiveness, and physically because we were unable to handle ‘hands on’ and ‘melee’ situations into which our more experienced opponents forced us. This is not an excuse, but a fact that is repeated —we struggle to adapt to the distance rule, which today favoured the home team much more. But that’s the way it is—if you come to Venice, this is what you may find.”