The Spanish Guaguas Las Palmas qualified for the playoff phase after dramatically winning their away match against VK Lvi Prague with 3:2(25:18,30:28,21:25,19:25,15:11) in their last match of Group C. In the other encounter, the Italian champion Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia solidified its dominance with a clean victory over Berlin Recycling Volleys – 3:0(25:17,25:18,25:20).
In Prague, the Spanish champion had to go through a serious test. Las Palmas took a 2:0 lead in sets after 25:18 and an extremely tense second set, won 30:28. However, the Czechs reacted and equalized after 25:21 and 25:19, sending the match to a tie-break. In the decisive fifth set, the Spaniards showed more composure and closed it with 15:11.
VK Lvi Prague – Guaguas Las Palmas 2:3(18:25,28:30,25:21,25:19,11:15)
The top scorer for Las Palmas was Kolyto with 22 points. Osmany Juantorena added 14, Bruno scored 18, and Mendez and Ramos finished with 11 points each. For the hosts, Lukas Conde contributed 19 points.
Former Bulgarian national setter Dobromir Dimitrov appeared as a substitute in the second, third, and fourth sets. He even recorded one attack, which, however, was unsuccessful.
Final Standings in Group C
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Points | Set Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia | 6 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 18:4 |
| 2 | Guaguas Las Palmas | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12:14 |
| 3 | Berlin Recycling Volleys | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10:12 |
| 4 | VK Lvi Prague | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 8:18 |
Las Palmas and Berlin finished with an equal active of 8 points each and an identical 3-3 balance, but the Spanish team surpassed the Germans on additional criteria. Perugia dominated convincingly with 18 sets won against only 4 lost, while the Czech champion remained without a victory, although they earned three points and won eight sets in the group.
The Spanish squad advances, and the presence of figures like the legend Osmany Juantorena and the experience of Dobromir Dimitrov add additional weight to their ambitions for a breakthrough in the tournament.
