Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia triumphed with their first CEV Men's Champions League title, overcoming an exceptional comeback from Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in a final-worthy thriller match that ended 3:2 (25:22; 25:22; 20:25; 22:25; 15:10), lasting over three hours.
This was a historic moment for both Perugia and Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, as both teams were battling for their first CEV Men's Champions League title.
Until now, Perugia had lost only one match in the European championship this season, while Zawiercie had the opportunity to become the first team in six seasons to win the trophy without losing a single match.
Aluron experienced its fairytale, but it did not end with gold. Michał Winiarski's players showed a fighting spirit, reaching a fifth set, but the fatigue from the semi-final with Jastrzębski Węgiel, less recovery time, and the class of Perugia's star-studded squad took their toll.
Earlier, Jastrzębski brought Poland its first medal – a bronze – after a 3:1 victory over Turkey's Halkbank Ankara, led by Radostin Stoychev.
✨ The Grand Final: comebacks, service bombs, and tears
Perugia started stronger – 25:22 and 25:22, with Wassim Ben Tara being extremely effective. For Warta, hopes came with the entry of Kyle Ensing, who replaced Karol Butryn and brought the team back into the match – 25:20 and 25:22 in the next two sets.
The tie-break started badly for the hosts – 1:4, and at 5:8, Perugia was again dictating the pace. Although Aaron Russell and company tried to come back, Ben Tara was once again cool-headed in the decisive moments. Tears in the eyes of the Poles, ecstasy for the Italian team and their eccentric president Gino Sirci, who finally waited for his European crown.
👑 Italy once again at the top
After last year's title by Itas Trentino, the trophy now goes back to the Boot. Perugia justified the investments in stars, even though Semeniuk and Łukasz Usowicz remained on the bench.
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie – Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia 2:3 (22:25, 22:25, 25:20, 25:22, 10:15)
MVP: Simone Giannelli
The first referee of the match was the best Bulgarian referee Ivaylo Ivanov.
