Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia stave off Zawiercie comeback to clinch maiden title in the CEV Champions League
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia made history on Saturday night, clinching their first-ever CEV Champions League Men title after a dramatic 3:2 victory over Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in Łódź. The thrilling final, filled with energy, tension, and top-class volleyball, ended with a score of 25:22, 25:22, 20:25, 22:25, 15:10 in favor of the Italian side.
The match was a rollercoaster, with Perugia racing to a two-set lead thanks to strong showings from Wassim Ben Tara and Yuki Ishikawa. But Zawiercie, led by Aaron Russell (match top scorer with 25 pts, 51% attack), clawed their way back into the match, leveling the score at 2:2 and forcing a decisive fifth set.
Despite the shift in momentum, Perugia regrouped quickly. With Ishikawa (20 pts) and Ben Tara (22 pts) leading the charge once again, and strong support from Oleh Plotnytskyi (18 pts), the team took control early in the final set and never relinquished their lead.
The victory is a milestone for Perugia and coach Angelo Lorenzetti, who finally lifted the Champions League trophy after multiple final setbacks. It’s a reward for years of top-level performance and a crowning achievement in the club’s European journey.
Tournament’s Dream Team was also announced:
- Best Opposite – Wassim Ben Tara (Perugia)
- Best Setter – Simone Giannelli (Perugia)
- Best Libero – Luke Perry (Warta)
- Best Middle Blockers – Anton Brehme (JSW), Mateusz Bieniek (Warta)
- Best Outside Hitters – Tomasz Fornal (JSW), Oleh Plotnytskyi (Perugia)
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