The team led by Marcelo Méndez fell 3-0 to the Germans and said goodbye to Paris 2024 without a win. Conte retired from the Albiceleste and De Cecco is in doubt.
De Cecco cast doubt on his continuity in the Argentine National Team: “I’m leaving empty-handed”
The Argentine volleyball team depended on a miracle to be able to advance to the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. After losing in the first two matches, they had to beat Germany 3-0 and hope for a series of results that would place them as the best third-place team. However, they had a bad time, losing 3-0 and were eliminated in the first round.
With partial scores of 25-13 in 19 minutes, 25-21 in 25′ and 25-21 in 24′, Marcelo Méndez’s team fell to the Germans in just over an hour of play. Gyorgy Grozer was the top scorer of the match with 16 points, followed by Moritz Karlitzek, with 13, both Germans. The Argentine scorers were Facundo Conte, with 9 points, and Luciano Vicentin with 7. In this way, the Argentine team said goodbye prematurely to Paris 2024 and failed to fight to repeat the historic bronze achieved in Tokyo 2021.
Argentina lost 3-0 to Germany and was eliminated from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (FIVB)
De Cecco and a taste of farewell from the Argentine National Team
Luciano De Cecco, setter and captain of the Argentine volleyball team, regretted the elimination in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and questioned his continuity in the national team. “We played well against Japan, relatively badly against the United States and today it was difficult for us. Unfortunately, a complicated year ends, with many ups and downs, where we could not get our best version,” he said on TyC Sports. “A cycle ends. There are a lot of situations that one does not want to happen and they all happened together. It was many months of struggle to get here and we could not put all the meat on the grill. The result is evident,” he added.
“This important cycle for the National Team is coming to an end, in which we strengthened and raised the level of volleyball in a small country, we put it in the top ten in the world, with a medal included, in the South American Championship, etc. The National Team deserves a change, a new identity, without forgetting the one we forged. Unfortunately, we set the bar very high and I apologize to those who come because they will receive a slap in the face, but they should know that we from outside will support them and we will be there to help them,” he said.
Luciano De Cecco, captain of the Argentine Volleyball Team. (FIVB)
Regarding his retirement, he said that he has not yet decided whether he will continue. “I don’t know, I’m leaving today empty-handed. There will surely be many changes, I want to take time for myself. I think the team deserves for us to think as a group. I’m not going to make any decisions now, it was surely my last great Olympic tournament, I don’t think I’ll make it to Los Angeles. I’m going to take my time, I hope the club gives me a vacation and I’ll try to recharge my energy so I can continue,” concluded the standard-bearer of the Argentine delegation.
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