A paradoxical hero at the top – substitute Mateusz Malinowski delivered in the key moments against Knack Roeselare, while Wilfredo León struggled, but the MVP award turned into a curiosity that overshadowed the evening.
Bogdanka LUK Lublin's volleyball players achieved a difficult but extremely valuable away victory against Knack Roeselare, and with the 3:2 win, they solidified their leading position in Group B of the Champions League. However, behind the dry statistics lies a match full of comebacks, star fluctuations, and an absurd final touch that turned the hero of the match into an MVP 'on paper' – in the literal sense of the word. The curiosity is reported bysport.interia.pl.
León finished with 17 points – the most for his team, but the real stabilizing factor in the most difficult moments proved to be Mateusz Malinowski. The 33-year-old attacker, who usually comes off the bench, this time started as a regular instead of Kevin Sasak and responded in the best possible way – 16 points, 63% attack efficiency, and strong serves, including an ace. It was his composure and his finishing hits that kept Bogdanka LUK in the game when the Belgians were pressing hardest.
Therefore, his selection as MVP was completely logical… until the awarding ceremony. Instead of the usual statuette or symbolic prize, Malinowski received a sheet of paper from an official with the inscription “Most Valuable Player,” with which he also had to pose for the official photo. The curious scene provoked smiles in the hall and on television, and Polsat Sport 1 commentator Jerzy Mielewski ironically summarized: “He received a nice… card for the title of best player of the match.”
The Lublin club honored him with a special post on social media, and his form could prove crucial in the coming days.
Already on Saturday, just two days after the Belgian drama, Bogdanka LUK will play in the semi-final of the TAURON Polish Cup in Krakow against the sensation of the season, Indykpol AZS Olsztyn. And if there's one thing for sure after the match in Roeselare, it's that sometimes the most valuable players are not those with the most resounding names – even when their MVP award fits on a single sheet of paper.
photo: cev
