Juan Velasco's Argentina team are set to face Brazil in two friendlies
Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 31, 2016 – Argentina will welcome Olympic Games hosts Brazil for two friendly matches ahead of the start of the FIVB Volleyball World League.
Julio Velasco’s side will take on Brazil in Jujuy on June 2 and June 4 in Salta before they return to World League Group 1.
“We have a very interesting program,” Velasco said. “We start against Brazil, who are a very important rival. There are new players who are integrating and this preparation will be hard work but will hopefully bear fruit.”
Argentina start their World League campaign with a match against the USA in Rio de Janeiro on June 16. They also face Brazil and Iran on the opening weekend before they travel to Lodz in Poland to face the host nation, 2015 champions France and London 2012 Olympic champions Russia.
On the final weekend of the group stage Argentina will face Iran, Italy and Serbia in Tehran.
Once the World League is over Argentina will turn their attention to the Olympic Games. They qualified as winners of the South American Olympic Qualifier and will try to better their quarterfinal finish at London 2012 in the tournament that runs from August 6-21.
Argentina squad:
Luciano De Cecco
Nicolas Uriarte
Bruno Lima
Cristian Poglajen
Martin Ramos
Facundo Imhoff
Joaquin Gallego
Fabian Flores
Rodrigo Quiroga
Nicolas Bruno
Ezequiel Palacios
Jan Martinez Franchi
Alexis Gonzalez
Facundo Santucci