Final CEV Champions League:
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie – Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia 2-3 (22-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22, 10-15)
ALURON CMC WARTA ZAWIERCIE (POL): Kwolek 12, Russel 25, Perry (L), Zniszczol 7, Markiewicz, Tavares Rodrigues 2, Bieniek 12, Butryn 9, Ensing 9, Laba. Non entrati Gregorowicz, Nowosielski, Nasrimastanabad. All. Winiarski. SIR SICOMA MONINI PERUGIA: Ben Tara 22, Colaci (L), Giannelli 3, Herrera Jaime 1, Ishikawa 20, Loser 11, Plotnytskyi 18, Semeniuk, Solé 5. Non entrati Candellaro, Cianciotta, Piccinelli, Usowicz, Zoppellari. All. Lorenzetti Angelo. ARBITRI: Ivanov, Fernandez Fuentes. NOTE – durata set: 37′, 36′, 34′, 37′, 20′; tot: 164′. Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (POL): Battute sbagliate 14, Vincenti 4. Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia: Battute sbagliate 24, Vincenti 5.
At the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia won the first CEV Champions League in its history at the end of a thrilling match that ended in a tie break against the Polish team Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie. The most coveted trophy thus remains in Italy after the success achieved by Trentino Itas in the previous edition.
Ahead by two sets, Angelo Lorenzetti’s men cashed in on the opponents’ comeback, but got back up in the fifth set, making the victory epic after 164 minutes of sporting battle. The Umbrians immediately took the lead and controlled the game until the end of the first set without any problems (22-25). Same result, but different development in the second set, with the Block Devils forced to come back and then contain the Polish impetuosity (22-25). Reaction only postponed. Just like in the Semifinal, Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie lights up in the third act of the match, taking advantage of a greater brilliance in the sprint (25-20). The fourth fraction is almost a chess match, played point by point, with Aluron capable of growing brick by brick to then impose the decisive breakaway (25-22). In the tie break the initiative is of the Perugians, lucid and incisive (10-15). Angelo Lorenzetti breaks the taboo and raises his first Champions League to the sky.
Simone Giannelli closes in glory with the Final Four MVP award and is named best setter of the tournament. Wassim Ben Tara, author of 22 points, also enters the ideal team together with spiker Oleh Plotnytskyi (18). Great performance by Yuki Ishikawa (20) and precious contribution by Agustin Loser (11). Top scorer of the match Aaron Russell with 25 points for Aluron. Also in double figures are Bartosz Kwolek (12) and Mateusz Bieniek (12), the latter included in the ideal team together with libero Luke Perry.
In the Final for 3rd place, the Polish team of JSW Jastrzebski Wegiel prevail, thanks to the 3-1 signed in the afternoon against the Turkish team of Halkbank Ankara.
Simone Giannelli (Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia): “I would like to thank everyone who supported us. We won a truly incredible match and finally managed to win the Champions League. Since I arrived in Perugia this was the trophy to win and today we can say that we have made all our fans happy!”.
Best team awards
Best opposite hitter: Wassim Ben Tara (Sir Sicoma Perugia).
Best setter: Simone Giannelli (Sir Sicoma Perugia).
Best libero: Luke Perry (Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie).
Best middle blockers Anton Brehme (JSW Jastrzebski Wegiel) and Mateus Bieniek (Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie).
Best spikers: Tomasz Fornal (JSW Jastrzebski Wegiel) and Oleh Plotnytskyi (Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia).
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
2000/01 Paris Volley (FRA)
2001/02 Lube Banca Marche Macerata (ITA)
2002/03 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2003/04 Lokomotiv Belgorod (RUS)
2004/05 Tours VB (FRA)
2005/06 Sisley Treviso (ITA)
2006/07 Vfb Friedrichshafen (GER)
2007/08 Dinamo Kazan (RUS)
2008/09 Trentino Volley (ITA)
2009/10 Trentino BetClic (ITA)
2010/11 Trentino BetClic (ITA)
2011/12 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2012/13 Lokomotiv Novosibirsk (RUS)
2013/14 Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
2014/15 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2015/16 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2016/17 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2017/18 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2018/19 Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA)
2019/20 non assegnata
2020/21 Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL)
2021/22 Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL)
2022/23 Grupa Azoty Kedzierzyn-Kozle (POL)
2023/24 Trentino Itas (ITA)
2024/25 Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (ITA)
