Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia claimed their first-ever CEV Champions League Men championship, holding off a resilient comeback attempt from Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie. The final was a thrilling five-set battle, ending 3:2 (25:22, 25:22, 20:25, 22:25, 15:10) and lasting over three hours.
This marked a historic occasion for both clubs, as they were each vying for their inaugural CEV Champions League Men trophy.
Perugia`s path to the final included only one defeat in this season`s elite European competition, whereas Zawiercie entered the final with the possibility of becoming the first undefeated champion in six years.
The question of favorites was open: Would it be Perugia with their remarkable roster depth, or the experienced Zawiercie squad, fresh off a stunning two-set comeback victory against Jastrzębski Węgiel in the semi-final?
As anticipated, the match in the packed Atlas Arena in Łódź was intensely contested from the start. Both teams battled closely throughout the first set, featuring plenty of dramatic moments as Zawiercie persistently worked to contain Perugia`s offense.
While Perugia`s attacking efficiency was only slightly better (42% compared to Zawiercie`s 36%), the Italian team excelled in blocking, securing four kill blocks to Zawiercie`s two. Strong performances from Wassim Ben Tara and Yuki Ishikawa were also crucial for Perugia.
Perugia`s depth proved decisive in taking the first set. A late substitution brought in Jesus Herrera, whose serve produced an ace and three consecutive points, creating a crucial five-point lead that Perugia maintained to win the set 25:22.
Would the second set unfold differently?
Known for their resilience, Zawiercie attempted another comeback, starting the second set strongly and quickly establishing a 4:1 lead.
Aaron Russell, who was substituted in the semi-final, made a significant impact in the second set, scoring nine points and leading Zawiercie`s effort.
Zawiercie improved their attack to 41% efficiency in the second set, and an ace from Karol Butryn helped them build an 8:5 advantage. However, Perugia remained competitive, with Ben Tara in excellent form, supported by Oleh Plotnytski`s five points in the set.
Zawiercie held a 17:15 lead, and Perugia`s chances seemed to be diminishing. But Wassim Ben Tara then delivered three outstanding serves, including two consecutive aces, dramatically shifting the momentum of the set.
Perugia capitalized on this shift, scoring two straight points to take a 22:20 lead. They finished the set strongly, winning 10 of the final 15 points to secure the second set 25:22, putting them just one set away from the championship.
Facing the same two-set deficit as in their semi-final on Saturday, Zawiercie was once again in a critical position. Any error could derail their title aspirations, leaving little room for mistakes.
Despite Perugia`s overall dominance, the Polish team needed to respond. They attempted to replicate their semi-final comeback, with Bartosz Kwolek becoming more prominent after a less impactful start.
Initially, Perugia appeared strong and controlled the third set, only trailing briefly at 1:0. While they couldn`t establish a lead larger than two points, they held a 15:13 advantage, nearing their first title.
A timely timeout called by Michal Winiarski, named All-Star coach of the season, successfully shifted the momentum. Zawiercie responded by scoring three straight points, and effective serves from Mateusz Bieniek helped them take an 18:16 lead.
Powered by the combined 29 points from Kwolek and Russell, Zawiercie claimed the third set 25:20, setting the stage for potentially another remarkable comeback in their memorable season.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team holding more than a two-point lead until Zawiercie edged ahead 16:15, primarily through strong attacks from Kwolek and Russell.
Aaron Russell, a former Perugia player who spent three years with the Italian club, reached 21 points, becoming the match`s leading scorer at that stage. Zawiercie finished the set strongly with key plays, winning it 25:22 and forcing the CEV Champions League Men final into a decisive fifth set.
Despite Zawiercie gaining momentum, Perugia`s experienced roster responded by raising their intensity. Three consecutive serves from Yuki Ishikawa resulted in points, giving Perugia a commanding 5:1 lead and momentarily silencing the crowd in the Atlas Arena.
Russell again tried to spark Zawiercie, scoring three points in a row to narrow the gap. However, Perugia quickly countered with powerful spikes from Ishikawa and Ben Tara, extending their lead to 10:6.
Did Zawiercie have one more comeback left in them?
Ultimately, no. While the Polish team managed to reduce the deficit to two points, Perugia`s strong start in the decider proved insurmountable. Two final consecutive points from Plotnytskyi sealed the 15:10 set victory and the championship for Perugia.
This title is the first in Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia`s history in the CEV Champions League Men. It also marks a long-awaited first win for coach Angelo Lorenzetti, who had lost five previous finals. It`s a crowning achievement for the Italian club, which had reached the top 4 of the competition six times before.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood