The FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship, already on its second day, offered high-tension matches, contrasts, and clear messages about how ruthless the path to medals will be. European representatives took center stage in the program – with a dramatic five-set battle for Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia against the Japanese defense of Osaka Bluteon and with a demonstration of class and depth from Polish vice-champion Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie. The tournament has now left the 'getting to know' phase and has become an arena where every point matters, every mistake is punished, and there is practically no room for experiments.
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia – Osaka Bluteon 3:2
(23:25, 25:16, 25:22, 23:25, 23:21)
After the expected warm-up against the Libyan team, Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia faced a much higher level in the form of Japan's Osaka Bluteon and had to go to a tie-break to snatch an extremely valuable success in Group B. The Italians lost the first and fourth sets with an identical 23:25, but reacted strongly in the second and third, where they imposed dominance through blocking and better attack organization. The decisive fifth set became a true marathon, in which Perugia missed several match points, but ultimately closed the match at 23:21 after an attack error by Lopez. The match was also marked by several Videocheck interruptions, which further broke the rhythm of play. The key to victory for the 'Block Devils' was their superiority in blocking – 19 against only 7 for the Japanese, as well as a lower number of their own errors.
Individual statistics:
For Perugia, Wassim Ben Tara was the top scorer with 21 points, also impressive with 5 block points. Kamil Semeniuk added 16 points and 4 blocks, while Agustin Loser contributed 13 points. The inclusion of Dzavoronok brought freshness – 7 points with 70% attack efficiency and 3 aces. For Osaka Bluteon, Cuban Miguel Angel Lopez was above all with 28 points, followed by Yuji Nishida with 14 and Tomita with 13.
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie – Al Rayyan 3:0
(25:20, 25:18, 25:17)
Polish vice-champion Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie continued its whirlwind start to the tournament with a decisive victory over Qatar's Al Rayyan. After a shaky start in the first set, when the underdog even took the lead, Michal Winiarski's players quickly imposed their tempo and allowed no surprises. The Poles demonstrated stable organization, excellent defense, and high efficiency in attack, gradually breaking down the opponent's resistance. The second and third sets were already under the full control of the Europeans, who did not allow a drop in concentration. The victory came less than 24 hours after the dramatic five-set success over 'Volley Renata'.
Individual statistics:
The dominant players in the match were Bartosz Kwolek (12 points) and Aaron Russell (14 points), who dominated in attack and broke Al Rayyan's reception with a series of strong serves. The Polish team as a whole showed an excellent balance between attack and defense, while the Qataris relied mainly on individual flashes, without managing to maintain their level throughout the match.
In another match from Group A, the Brazilian derby between the two home teams ended with a victory forVôlei Renata, who prevailed overPraia Clubewith3:1 (25:22, 25:19, 22:25, 25:23)after more stable play in the key moments of the first, second, and fourth sets.
Provisional standings after the second day of the Club World Championship
Group A – provisional standings
| Place | Team | Wins | Points | Set Ratio | Point Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (Poland) | 2 | 5 | 3.000 | 1.184 |
| 2 | Vôlei Renata (Brazil) | 1 | 4 | 1.250 | 1.005 |
| 3 | Praia Clube (Brazil) | 1 | 3 | 1.333 | 1.051 |
| 4 | Al-Rayyan (Qatar) | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.746 |
Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie logically leads the group after two wins and excellent indicators in both set ratio and point ratio. Vôlei Renata and Praia Clube remain in a direct battle for second place, with minimal differences in the point coefficient indicating how evenly matched the Brazilian teams are. Al-Rayyan now has minimal chances of advancing.
Group B - Provisional Standings
| Place | Team | Wins | Points | Set Ratio | Point Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (Italy) | 2 | 5 | 3.000 | 1.284 |
| 2 | Osaka Bluteon (Japan) | 1 | 4 | 1.666 | 1.115 |
| 3 | Sada Cruzeiro (Brazil) | 1 | 3 | 1.000 | 0.983 |
| 4 | Swehely Sports Club (Libya) | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.600 |
Perugia took the lead in Group B after two victories, but the five-set success against Osaka Bluteon shows that the leading position is far from a guarantee of peace of mind. The Japanese are second with very good indicators and remain fully in the battle for the semi-finals. Sada Cruzeiro still holds its fate in its own hands, but now has no room for error, while the Libyan Swehely Sports Club is clearly the lagging team in the group.
Schedule next matches
| Group | Match | Time (Bulgaria) |
|---|---|---|
| Group B | Sada Cruzeiro (Brazil) Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (Italy) | 20:00 |
| Group B | Swehely Sports Club (Libya) Osaka Bluteon (Japan) | 23:30 |
| Group A | Praia Clube (Brazil) Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (Poland) | 03:00 (December 19) |
The day is extremely important, especially for Group B, where Perugia plays a direct qualification match against the reigning world champion Sada Cruzeiro. For European viewers, the schedule is relatively convenient until midnight, but Aluron's clash with Praia Clube already falls into the night hours and will require a serious dose of volleyball dedication from fans. The Club World Championship is entering its decisive phase, and the intensity and quality of the matches clearly show that any mistake can prove fatal.
