Each time it gets harder to follow the journey of the national team of Cuba in the World Volleyball League. The presentations in Europe were only that, presentations. Both in Turin and in Bremen, the national team had an amputated demonstration of the true face of the talented Cuban volleyball.
The performances of Cuba in Italian and German soil caused a sudden and mischievous sense of disgust, which is just beginning and will last as long as the sports authorities in the country, those who cling to the bad decision of keeping up their policies in this sport.
Cuba’s performance in Europe is unprecedented. One set won in four games and have only three so far in this tournament. It is a performance that has been at times tortuous and even petty cheek. And of course, this is not only the team’s responsibility. Many of these young people who make up the Cuban squad may have crossed the Atlantic for the first time in their lives and did it to face two teams that instantly pulverized them.
While the first weekend of World League Cubans took refuge in the fans of the Sports City Coliseum to face a Serbia that played at half speed. This time they came first to Italy and then to Germany to support the insolent derision and disproportionate mockery of European fans that transformed ours in a absolutely timid team.
Impotence embodied in court eventually ended up resulting in fearful game. The faces of the Cuban coaching staff and players hinted the terrible thrill of body and soul through which they went through during the sweeps inflicted by the Azzurri and the easy pair of victories by the Germans.
Orlando Samuels is already at a loss. None of his boys is ready to take on such roles. When we have only been through half of the tournament, his face already shows signs of the stress that implies holding the reins of a team that for all it can do is fight, because it will occupy the last place in the group to which they belong.
But if there is a crowd that knows the actual quality of the Cuban volleyball is the Italian, the same that filled the Nelson Mandela Forum to enjoy the Caribbean team been beaten up. They know better than anyone that what the Cuba’s sextet showed is not real, it’s just a shadow of their former selves.
The Italians enjoyed their sweeps but knowing those two 3-0 are not at the true difference between the two teams. They know also that Ivan Zayset wouldn’t have been able to show off after each attack or ace. They also know that their captain Cristian Sabani would have had to spend more time in court, that Biradelli would not been so great in the net and have had to dip into the great Alessandro Fei-who want even there.
In Bremen, the Cubans arrived with more illusions than propositions. They thought that the absence of lethal Grozzer would give them more options, imagined that they wouldn’t be as mercilessly beaten as by the Italians taking into account the level of their opponent. But all remained the same, fate included, barely flinching, and everything seems to be written for this selection that cannot even change the course of a predesigned script with predictions traced to the events that occur.
The two games staged in Germany perfectly define the essence of a squad all magnanimous with its opponents on the court, able to reconcile all kinds of condescension and is responsible alone to do everything they can to avoid the path of victory.
In no way Germany will better than Cuba in volleyball, even, this time with a all unarmed and naked team. Neither Dennis Kaliberda, executioner in this series has shown strength in attack against Cubans. Neither Cristhiam Fromn and Schöps are as good on the net to minimize the defenders of the island.
Of course, if Cuba commits the blunt mistakes we saw, does not block anything at all, doesn’t intimidate with the serve but it gives it away, of course the only thing they will collect on the taraflex is the grievance.
Anyway, half way behind us, but as never before, this selection fits the view on the ground to look with fearful eyes the Russian and Iranian fences approaching at full speed. From the squad no one will have the courage, and I understand it, to turn around to try to see the traces of the past. It is not easy to accept the grief when it clings to fate
