Itas Trentino Itas is through to the next round of the 2026 CEV Champions League after a composed 3-1 victory over ACH Volley Ljubljana.
Playing in front of 3,724 fans at the Sportna Dvorana Tivoli in Ljubljana, the Italian powerhouse delivered a mature performance to claim their fourth win in five Pool A matches. The final scoreline: 25-21, 25-17, 22-25, 25-23, guarantees Trentino second place in the group with one match still to play.
The visitors showed resilience throughout. After edging a tight opening set thanks to a strong finish, they dominated the second before letting a 22-19 lead slip away in the third. But in a tense fourth set, they kept their composure, sealing the match 25-23 to confirm qualification.
French opposite Théo Faure led the way with a standout performance, earning MVP honors after scoring 30 points, including six aces and three blocks, while hitting at 54% efficiency. Middle blocker Flavio Gualberto added 16 points, and Simon Torwie contributed 10.
For ACH Volley, Toncek Stern was the top scorer with 26 points, while Alen Pajenk and Luka Marovt each added 10.
One of the night’s most emotional moments came with the return of Daniele Lavia. Back after five months out, the Italian outside hitter came off the bench in the second set and finished with 8 points, including two blocks.
Setter Riccardo Sbertoli praised the team’s maturity after the match, emphasizing both the importance of the win and Lavia’s return. Head coach Marcelo Mendez called the result “an important step” on a difficult court against a strong opponent.