The European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) is set to introduce one of the most sensible changes to the regulations of club tournaments in recent years. From the new season, a golden set will always be played whenever the two teams have one win apiece in the knockout phase, regardless of the scores in individual sets. Polish media report this change.
This effectively eliminates the previous system, where the overall winner was determined by the accumulated points from the two matches:

• A 3:0 or 3:1 score earned 3 points

• A 3:2 score earned 2 points for the winner and 1 for the loser

In case of a tie in points, a golden set was played.
Precisely this regulation created situations in which the return legs lost their intrigue even before the last point.

The Bogdanka – Lube final became a symbol of the problem

The most striking example came in the Challenge Cup final during the 2024/25 season.
In the first match, Poland's Bogdanka LUK Lublin, with Bulgarian national player Alex Grozdanov in its squad, defeated Cucine Lube Civitanova, led by Aleksandar Nikolov, by 3:1 (25:20, 22:25, 25:18, 26:24) and secured a significant advantage before the return leg.
In the return leg in Italy, Lube dramatically won 3:2 (27:25, 25:21, 36:38, 20:25, 15:7). At first glance, the score suggested that the battle for the trophy continued until the last point. The reality, however, was different.
After the Poles pulled off the third set with an incredible 38:36, and then leveled the match at 2:2 after 25:20 in the fourth set, the trophy was already won. Regardless of who would win the tie-break, Bogdanka became the Challenge Cup winner.

Thus, the tie-break practically became a mere formality.
Lube won it, but it had no bearing on the overall winner. The Italians won the match, the Poles won the cup.

The comeback will now matter

It is precisely such situations that have likely prompted CEV to rethink the system. Under the new regulation, the Civitanova scenario would look completely different:

• Bogdanka wins the first match.

• Lube wins the return leg 3:2.

• Both teams have one win each.

• After the match, a golden set to 15 points is played for the trophy.

Thus, the drama would have continued until the last rally, instead of ending at 2:2 in sets.
This is precisely the big difference. The new rule restores the meaning of the comeback and maintains the suspense until the end.

Fewer calculations, more volleyball.

The previous system often led to absurd situations where a team won the return leg but was eliminated, and spectators realized halfway through the match that the outcome was already clear.
The new format is significantly more understandable for the fans too:

• One team wins both matches – they advance.

• The teams each win one match – a golden set is played.

No calculations. No counting points. No procedural tie-breaks.

And if this change had been in effect as early as March 2025, the fans in the packed arena in Civitanova would have gotten exactly what they deserved – a truly decisive set for the European trophy between the teams of Alex Grozdanov and Aleksandar Nikolov.

Photos: Nikolay Varadinov