Gold Medal Match – CEV Champions League 2026
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia – Aluron CMC Warta Zawierce 3-0 (29-27, 25-18, 25-15) – Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia: Dzavoronok, Giannelli 3, Loser 5, Ben Tara 24, Colaci (L), Ishikawa, Semeniuk 8, Plotnytskyi 12, Russo 10, Gaggini (L). N.E. Argilagos, Cvanciger, Solé, Crosato. All. Lorenzetti. Aluron CMC Warta Zawierce: Kwolek 6, Russell 8, Czerwinski, Boladz 8, Popiwczak (L), Nowosielski, Gladyr 2, Tavares Rodrigues 1, Bieniek 9, Ensing 4. N.E. Zniszczol, Markiewicz, Ogorek, Łaba. All. Winiarski. ARBITRI: Ovuka, Yovchev. NOTE – durata set: 38′, 32′, 29′; tot: 99′.
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia triumphed at the Inalpi Arena in Turin! The team coached by Angelo Lorenzetti has won the 2026 CEV Champions League with a clear victory, their second consecutive victory after their victory last May 18th against Zawiercie.
Giannelli and his teammates’ feat also cemented Italy’s treble of European successes, following Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza’s victories in the CEV Cup and Allianz Milano’s victory in the CEV Challenge Cup. This feat, despite numerous continental successes by Serie A teams in Europe, hasn’t been achieved since 2010/11.
Today’s victory is also the 82nd victory for an Italian club in European competition (8 Challenge Cups, 28 CEV Cups, 22 European Cups – Champions League, 14 Cup Winners’ Cups, 9 European Super Cups, and 1 Top Teams Club), as well as the 95th internationally.
This is the 19th trophy for President Gino Sirci’s club in the SuperLega and international arena, the second European (after last year’s Champions League) and the fifth internationally, including the three editions of the Club World Cup (2022, 2023, 2025).
In the final match of the CEV Champions League, Sir continued their impressive run so far in the first half of the competition, with a clean run of six wins in the group stage and two in the quarterfinals, in addition to two wins without conceding a set at the Inalpi Arena. The first set was fought entirely point-for-point and won even saving a set point, while the other two were decided by the Umbrians’ sprint in the early stages. Ben Tara was on fire (24 points for the opposite hitter in three sets), Colaci once again received a standing ovation, Giannelli masterfully orchestrated the team, and Plotnytskyi was a guarantee on both the front and back lines. The four deservedly made the event’s all-star team, along with best coach Angelo Lorenzetti. Massimo Colaci received additional recognition, being named MVP of the event.
Massimo Colaci (Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia): “I never imagined I’d experience all this. I’ve achieved almost all the dreams I had as a child, since I started playing, and now I want to enjoy this medal. Once again, I believe Ben Tara deserved the award, but I’m excited and happy. I had a lot of fun today, especially in the first set: tough, difficult, but that’s the essence of these matches. In the last two points, it was strange; I didn’t understand what was happening. The coach told me to leave for the standing ovation, but then he said, ‘Stay here, you coach.'”
