Perugia will once again not play in the Italian Cup final. Deja vu in Bologna – just like a year ago, the "Block Devils" stumbled in the semi-final against Verona. Then the team was led by Radostin Stoychev, and now by Fabio Soli. Slovenia's head coach led "Rana" to a historic success with3:0 (25:19, 25:21, 25:19)- a second final for the trophy for the team from the city of Romeo and Juliet, and set up a match against his former team, Trentino, which he coached last season. For the European and World Club Champion, the "consolation" remained that they eliminated last year's cup holder, Lube Civitanova, in the 1/4 final.
Soli's team played a match with exceptional attack efficiency and blocking dominance. Setter Micah Christenson brilliantly orchestrated the game, and in defense, libero Stafforini dug up impossible balls, keeping Verona stable in every situation.
First set – 25:19
After an even start, Verona made an early break (12:8) and pulled away convincingly. Keita and Mozic were unstoppable in attack, and Perugia struggled to find an answer.
Second set – 25:21
Perugia tried to take the initiative, but Verona quickly equalized and pulled ahead (14:10) with a powerful serving and attacking run. Christenson and Darlan delivered key blows in decisive moments.
Third set – 25:19
Under pressure from Verona and the serving run by Darlan and Keita, Perugia collapsed. Stafforini shone with saved balls in defense, and the finish was decisive – another 25:19 and a historic 3:0.
Team Statistics
| Statistic | Verona | Perugia |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Efficiency | 62% | - |
| Blocks | 10 | 2 |
| Aces | 7 | 3 |
Verona achieved "out of this world" numbers – 62% attack success against one of the strongest teams in Europe. The block difference (10 against 2) showed complete dominance at the net, and serving was also a key weapon with 7 aces.
Top Scorers
| Player | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Keita | Verona | 17 |
| Darlan | Verona | 13 |
| Ben Tara | Perugia | 13 |
Keita was once again Verona's leader with 17 points, excellently supported by Darlan. For Perugia, only Ben Tara reached double-digit scores, which is indicative of the favorite's difficulties in attack.
Verona didn't just win, but crushed Perugia with a display of power, organization, and confidence. Now Fabio Soli's team is just one step away from their first trophy in history \u2013 but against Trentino, the task will be even harder.
