National player Alex Nikolov will play in the World Club Championship with his team Lube, it became clear from a message on the club's website. The red-and-white club will participate in the 19th edition of the World Club Championship from December 10 to 15, 2024, at the Sabiazinho Arena in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. This became possible after the withdrawal of Jastrzębski Węgiel, the Polish club finalist in the last Champions League. Lube accepts the invitation as the best European semifinalist. In March this year, Lube lost the semi-final against Trentino Itas, who will also travel to Brazil as the reigning European champion. The other six teams are: Sada Cruzeiro (Brazil), Ciudad Vóley (Argentina), Iranian Foolad Sirjan (Iran), Shahdab Yazd (Iran), Al Ahly SC (Egypt), and the hosts Praia Clube (Brazil).
The tournament will be held in a format of eight teams in two groups of four teams. The top two in each group will meet in a single match in the semi-finals. The winners will compete for the title.
The event will be available live on VBTV and DAZN.
This is Lube's fifth participation in total in the World Club Championship, with them participating as an invited team by FIVB in 2017, 2018, and 2021. In 2019, Lube was admitted after winning the Champions League.
In 2017, Lube lost in the final against Zenit Kazan in Poland.
In 2018, the red-and-whites fell in the match against Trento in Poland.
In 2019, the Cucinieri defeated Sada Cruzeiro in the final in Brazil.
In 2021, the team from the Marche region lost the final to Sada Cruzeiro in Brazil.
FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship - Winners:
1989 Maxicono Parma
1990 Mediolanum Milano
1991 Il Messaggero Ravenna
1992 Misura Mediolanum Milano
2009 Trentino BetClic
2010 Trentino BetClic
2011 Trentino Diatec
2012 Trentino Diatec
2013 Sada Cruzeiro (BRA)
2014 Belogorie Belgorod (RUS)
2015 Sada Cruzeiro Vôlei (BRA)
2016 Sada Cruzeiro (BRA)
2017 Zenit Kazan (RUS)
2018 Trentino Volley
2019 Cucine Lube Civitanova
2020 not played
2021 Sada Cruzeiro (BRA)
2022 Sir Safety Susa Perugia
2023 Sir Susa Vim Perugia
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
