Close, but no cigar for Trentino Itas at the 2024 FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship

The reigning CEV Champions League Men title holders, Trentino Itas, conceded a 1:3 loss in the final of the 2024 FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship against Brazilian side Sada Cruzeiro, missing the chance of securing the sixth title in the team’s history.

The Italian side had previously won three of their four matches, securing the first place in Pool B of the eight-team competition, setting up a crunch semi-final against the other European side competing in the 2024 FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship, Italian rivals Cucine Luba Civitanova.

As Cucine Lube Civitanova had previously won against Trentino in the Italian league this December, the match looked to be a crunch one, with an Italian side certainly qualifying for the final.

But Trentino were impossible to stop, dominating their opponents in fantastic fashion, as opposite Kamil Rychlicki and outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto combined for 25 points, while Brazilian middle blocker Flavio Resende Gualberto added 11 points, to lead Trentino to a 3:0 win (25:20; 28:26; 25:19).

Therefore, the Italian side qualified to the final of the FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship for the seventh time, having previously won five finals. Surprisingly, one of the hosts sides, Sada Cruzeiro, joined them, with a 3:1 win over previously unbeaten Iranian side Foolad Sirjan, as Sada dominated a close match.

The final was set between the most decorated teams in history at the FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship, with Trentino winning the title five times, while Sada Cruzeiro had four titles under their name.

But as Trentino were favourites, Sada used their home advantage in Uberlandia and delivered a pitch perfect performance. 37-year-old opposite Wallace de Souza was the Sada’s leading scorer in the final against Trentino, delivering 23 points, with 22 kills and one block.

After conceding the first set, 22:25, Trentino bounced back with a 25:20 win in the second set, tying the score, but were clearly outplayed in the next sets by Sada Cruzeiro, 25:16 and 25:22, conceding their second final of the FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship in the last three editions.

“We obviously know how good Trentino are, but when we step on the court, we don’t rate ourselves lower than anyone. They have excellent players and are very used to playing matches at this level, but we always believe in our chances and leave everything on the court. We can win or lose, but we always give everything we have,” said Sada’s outside hitter Rodrigo ‘Rodriguinho’ Leão, according to the official website of the competition.

Sada tied Trentino now as the most decorated sides in the history of the competition, with each side winning the title five times. Trentino have more medals – 10 – with two silver and three bronze medals, as opposed to Cruzeiro’s nine.

In the bronze medal match, Cucine Lube Civitanova conceded a 2:3 loss against Foolad Sirjan, missing out on the podium.