41-year-old Olympic champion from London 2012 Sergey Grankin once again proved that form is temporary, but class is eternal. The Russian setter for Sporting (Lisbon) was named the Most Valuable Player in the Champions League group stage match against Germany's Lüneburg.
The Portuguese team won at home 3:1 (25:21, 25:19, 16:25, 31:29) and recorded their first victory in the tournament.
Sporting had a slight advantage in attack – 55% efficiency versus 51% for their opponent. Grankin himself finished with 4 points – three in attack and one block, directing his team's play in crucial moments.
The match was officiated by Bulgarian referee Konstantin Yovchev.
Standings in Group D
| Team | Wins | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zawiercie | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| Resovia | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Lüneburg | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Sporting | 1 | 4 | 3 |
The victory left Sporting in fourth place with 3 points, but instilled new confidence in the team. Lüneburg, who was fighting for the playoffs, fell behind the Polish favorites Zawiercie and Resovia.
In 2025, Grankin resumed his playing career after working as a coach for Yaroslavich and helping the club return to the Superliga. After a brief retirement in 2024, today he is back on the court – and continues to be a decisive factor with his experience and class.
