Daniele Santarelli – a name synonymous with success

Daniele Santarelli, the head coach of reigning European champions A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano, rightfully ranks among the most decorated coaches in European Volleyball. The Italian, who will celebrate his 45th birthday on June 8, was born in Foligno and boasts an impressive tally of 27 club trophies with Conegliano, along with seven medals won with the national teams of Croatia, Serbia and Türkiye. 

Santarelli has been at the helm of Conegliano since 2017, with the club – located just 30 kilometres from Treviso – having been founded only in 2012.

“We are a young club with a remarkable number of trophies. There is no single ‘key’ or simple explanation for our success. The project started with a strong club structure and an understanding of the Volleyball environment. Northern Italy is wealthier, which makes it easier to find sponsors capable of supporting the club’s needs. This is a dream, and many would like to replicate what Conegliano has achieved. Treviso has a strong sporting tradition and people believed in the vision of building a successful club and organisation. That is why we have won so many trophies, especially considering how popular volleyball and basketball are in this region,” Santarelli explained.

Known as “Dani”, Santarelli began his coaching career as an assistant at Robursport Volley Pesaro, before moving on to Robur Tiboni Volley Urbino and Pomì Casalmaggiore. Between 2015 and 2017, he served as assistant coach at Conegliano before stepping up as head coach. On the international stage, he started with Croatia, then guided Serbia – winning two medals in a single season – and has been in charge of Türkiye since 2023.

“No one is ready to immediately step into the role of head coach. I learned and improved day by day, and experience helped me along the way. It may seem like it happened quickly, but I had great mentors and the opportunity to prove myself because people believed in me. I was given the chance to show my approach, and I felt a huge responsibility because of that. I also had strong support from both federations and clubs. From the very beginning, I knew I had to work hard wherever I was. That mindset has brought many trophies. It is not the only way, but if you have the right people around you, the right atmosphere, and full support within the club, everything becomes easier. I could not have imagined such success, but it is the result of all these factors,” Santarelli stressed.

His achievements include silver medals in the European Golden League with Croatia (2019, 2021), gold at the 2022 World Championship and bronze in the 2022 Volleyball Nations League with Serbia, as well as gold in both the 2023 Volleyball Nations League and European Championship with Türkiye, plus silver at the 2025 World Championship.

Under Santarelli, Conegliano set a record of 76 consecutive victories – earning a place in the Guinness World Records – as well as 29 straight wins in the Champions League, both surpassing previous marks held by VakifBank Istanbul.

“I never focused on records or breaking them – the media kept reminding us. After the Covid-19 pandemic, we wanted to prove we were the best team, but I must say that winning is not always easy or even positive. Only after those 76 wins could we finally breathe a little, because the pressure was immense. It was very difficult. The same happened when we broke VakifBank’s Champions League record. We had already secured our place at the Final Four and were leading 2-0 against Zeren. I wanted us to keep winning, but I changed the entire line-up because the players’ health and the ultimate goal – winning the trophy – were more important. I wanted to protect my team. It is not about breaking records, but about focusing on what comes next – the semi-finals, the final, and the trophy,” Santarelli said candidly.

Since 2017, Conegliano and VakifBank have met six times in Champions League knockout matches, from the quarterfinals to the final, with both teams claiming three victories each. VakifBank won the 2017 final (3-0) and the 2018 semifinal (3-2), while Conegliano responded with a 3-2 triumph in the 2021 final. VakifBank prevailed again in the 2022 final (3-1), before Conegliano secured two 3-1 wins in the 2024 quarterfinals.
Their next encounter – the seventh overall – is scheduled for May 2 in the semifinals of the 2026 CEV ZEREN Group Champions League, marking another clash between Santarelli and Giovanni Guidetti.

“It is always an extraordinary challenge. Giovanni Guidetti is one of my mentors, and I am always motivated when facing him. I followed his work closely. My first experience against VakifBank came at a Champions League Final Four – my first Final Four and my first tie-break. It was a positive experience, built on mutual respect. Matches against Giovanni have always been incredible, both at club and national team level. We expect a fantastic match against perhaps the best players in the world. I have great respect for him, both personally and professionally. As for the semifinal, it is wonderful to play in Türkiye. My experiences there have been excellent. It will be a big match in a packed arena, but that does not mean VakifBank has an advantage. No matter where we play, we aim to perform at our best. Playing in front of a full crowd and a great atmosphere is always special. I am sure the fans will enjoy a match worthy of a Champions League semifinal,” Santarelli added.

One of the key decisions early in his Conegliano tenure was bringing in Joanna Wołosz, who has been the team’s captain and playmaker since 2017.

“Joanna is an outstanding setter. I believed in her. She was playing in Poland at the time, and after speaking with her, I realised we could achieve great things together. She had the quality to guarantee results, and I still believe bringing her in was a great decision. I consider Joanna, together with Maja Ognjenović, to be the best setter duo in the world. I am very happy to have worked with her, and at the same time, I regret that Maja did not play for Serbia while I was the coach. Both are not only great players but also fantastic people,” he noted.

The decisive stage of the season is now approaching, both in the Champions League and domestic competitions.

“We are happy to have players leading the statistical rankings. We had injury issues – Gabi, Fahr, Zhu – so it was important to find balance. That is why we struggled early in the season, but now the key is to be ready. It is normal to have many matches, but the end of the season is different. There are fewer games, allowing better preparation for the most important ones. VakifBank have won the Turkish league, and we are in the Italian league final, so the situation is similar for both teams. Honestly, I prefer this rhythm because it allows proper preparation. This year’s Final Four seems more balanced than before, making predictions difficult. That is why the only thing that matters is winning,” Santarelli concluded.

Volleyball fans can look forward to the season’s grand finale at the 2026 CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Final Four. On May 3, it will be revealed whether Daniele Santarelli can claim his fourth Champions League title – and third in a row – thereby setting yet another milestone for the outstanding team from northern Italy.