Italian coach 'WBC semifinal sensation' turned out to be Kang Jung-ho's best friend! "In Italy, the country of football..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Coach Francisco Cervelli (40), the head coach of the Italian national team, who advanced to the semifinals by staging the "Underdog Rebellion" at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), expressed his determination in Miami, the showdown site. Servelli, who was familiar to Korean baseball fans as a close colleague of Kang Jung-ho (39) during his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is now rewriting Italian baseball history as a coach.

At an official press conference held on Zoom ahead of Venezuela on the 16th (Korea Standard Time), Servelli officially announced right-hander Michael Lorenzen (33, Colorado Rockies) as the starting pitcher on the 17th. "I've been watching him for a long time and he has excellent ability to play in tough environments," Servelli said of Lorenzen. "The most perfect pitcher to face Venezuela," he said, sending strong trust.

To domestic baseball fans, Servelli is remembered as the "Ma'am in the Room," who served in Pittsburgh from the 2015 to the 2019 season. In particular, Servelli, who was the main catcher during the 2016 season, led the team's rise by boasting fantastic teamwork with Kang Jung-ho, the core of the infield. The image of Servelli, who hugged and shared joy more than anyone else in the dugout whenever Kang Jung-ho hit a home run, is still being talked about among fans.

Coach Servelli retired from active duty ahead of the 2021 season and is serving as a leader. He played in the 2009 WBC and 2017 WBC, and is playing as a coach at the 2026 WBC. He reached the quarterfinals in the 2013 and 2023 tournaments, but became the first Italian baseball player to reach the semifinals in this tournament.

On the same day, Servelli was also impressed by the unprecedented baseball craze in Italy. Coach Servelli, who said he is a big fan of Serie A's prestigious Juventus, said, "Italian sports usually have only five to six pages of football, but the game between us and Puerto Rico held the previous day (15th) was a huge success, broadcasting live on state TV."

"Even families from southern regions who are not familiar with baseball gather to watch the broadcast and send pictures. It is really beautiful that baseball is receiving so much attention in Italy, the country of soccer," he added.

It also unveiled a change in the roster for power reinforcement. Servelli said he replaced infielder Miles Mastrobouni (Seattle Mariners) and pitcher Dylan de Lucia (Claver Guardians minor), who were injured in the first round, with infielder Brian Locchio (Claverland Guardians) and pitcher Joe Zachs (New York Mets).

Servelli, who played as a catcher at the 2009 and 2017 tournaments, also spoke about the growth of Italian baseball at the 2026 tournament he faced as a head coach. "It was great in 2009, but now the stadium is sold out and the media exposure is huge," he said. "More players want to participate in this tournament with a major league-class organization."

Servelli, the "fighter full of fighting" who was guarding Kang Jung-ho's home turf by giving him a big hug when he was in Pittsburgh. Now he is the head of Italian baseball and has made the final preparations to achieve the feat of advancing to the finals.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.