The third day of the group stage of the 2025 Men's FIVB Volleyball Club World Championship in Belém (Brazil) brought an end to the intrigue long before the last match. The results of the matches involving Perugia, Osaka, and the severe collapse of Praia Clube fully shaped the semifinal four, without the need to wait until the final whistle of the Vôlei Renata – Al-Rayyan clash.
The day provided a very clear technical picture – which teams were in optimal form and which could not withstand the tournament's pace.
Perugia crushed Sada Cruzeiro and opened the door for Osaka.
The first decisive verdict came early in the Brazilian morning.
Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia defeated the reigning world champion Sada Cruzeiro 3:0 (25:19, 25:19, 25:20) and mathematically eliminated them from the competition.
This result automatically qualified Osaka Bluteon for the semifinals even before the Japanese team stepped onto the court later in the day. Sada was left with only one victory – against Swehly – and acknowledged the opponents' superiority.
Center Lucão was extremely frank after the match:
"The level of Perugia and Osaka is very high. We have progressed, but they deserve to qualify. We need to realize how much we still lack as a team and in terms of movement."
Osaka with rotations, but again 3:0.
Already assured of second place in Group B, head coach Tuomas Sammelvuo made massive rotations, resting Brizaar, Lopez, Yamamoto, and almost all regular starters.
Nevertheless, Osaka easily defeated Swehly 3:0 (25:22, 25:23, 25:21).
The big hero was 22-year-old Masato Kai with 19 points – a clear sign of the depth and balance in the Japanese squad. By the end of the Brazilian afternoon, it was clear: Perugia and Osaka were the first two semifinalists, first and second in Group B respectively.
The collapse of Praia Clube: Zawiercie totally dominated.
The real turning point came a few hours later.
Praia Clube – Zawiercie 0:3 (19:25, 9:25, 14:25) – a result that speaks for itself.
The Polish team dominated in all elements:
47 successful attacks against 26.
7:1 points from blocks.
Full control over the match immediately after 14:14 in the first set.
The top scorer was Aaron Russell – 16 points and an impressive 88% attack efficiency. Kwolek added 12. For Praia, only Paulo reached double-digit efforts in the game, but finished with just 9 points.
This victory secured Zawiercie first place in Group A with three wins from three matches and automatically qualified Vôlei Renata for the semi-finals. Thus, the Brazilians' last match against Al-Rayyan became a formality.
Semi-finals – 2025 Men's FIVB Club World Championship
Belém, Brazil → Bulgarian time
| Date | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, December 21, 2025 | 01:00 | Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (Poland) – Osaka Bluteon (Japan) |
| Sunday, December 21, 2025 | 04:30 | Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia (Italy) – Vôlei Renata (Brazil) |
Both semi-finals fall entirely within the Sunday program for the Bulgarian audience, with the second match being at an extremely late hour. This practically eliminates direct television interest from the general public, but for specialists and fans of elite volleyball, the Perugia – Vôlei Renata duel remains one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament, due to the contrast between Italian physicality and Brazilian speed.
