CV Guaguas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria recorded their first victory in the Champions League group stage, after defeating Czech champion VK Lvi Prague at home with a score of 3:2 (25:16, 21:25, 25:21, 19:25, 15:11) in an extremely dramatic match lasting 142 minutes.
The success brought two points to the Spanish team and moved them up to third place in the group, while Prague only secured one point and remains last without a win after three played matches.
Bulgarian setter Dobromir Dimitrov, who plays for Las Palmas, participated in the match, coming on in the second and fourth sets, but failed to score points. His entries were aimed at changing the rhythm and stabilizing the team's organization, with the main responsibility for setting once again falling to the starter Nico Bruno.
The top scorer for the winners was Francisco Souza with 28 points, and he was the leading figure in attack during the decisive moments. Logically, he was chosen as the MVP of the match.
Osmany Juantorena added 15 points, and Helder Spencer contributed 14, including key performances in blocking.
For the Czech team, Lukas Konde performed best with 23 points and David Kolator with 21, but their contribution was only enough for one point in the standings.
Group Standings after Round 3
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Points | Sets | Point Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 9:3 | 1.184 |
| 2 | Berlin Recycling Volleys | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6:5 | 1.004 |
| 3 | Guaguas Las Palmas | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5:8 | 0.971 |
| 4 | VK Lvi Prague | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5:9 | 0.885 |
The victory gives Las Palmas breathing room in their fight to advance from the group, despite a negative set balance. Prague continues without a win and with the weakest point ratio, which places them in an extremely difficult position before the remaining matches.
In their next group stage match, Las Palmas will visit Italian powerhouse Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia. The match is scheduled for January 28, 2026, and will be played at the Pala Barton arena in Perugia.
The match promises to be an extremely tough test for the Spanish team, as Perugia is the group leader with three wins from three matches and only three lost sets so far. There will also be an additional Bulgarian presence in the officiating crew, as the first referee for the encounter will be the Bulgarian Lyubomir Sirakov. We remind you that Las Palmas took a point against the world and European champion in their first match in Gran Canaria on January 7.
For Las Palmas, the away game in Italy is a chance to gain valuable experience and to seek an upset against the group favorite, but also a match where every point won would have significant value for the final standings.
