Trentino and Cucine Lube Civitanova set up crunch semi-final at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship 2024

The two European teams competing in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship 2024, Trentino Itas and Cucine Lube Civitanova, both qualified for the Final Four of the competition which is taking place in Uberlândia, Brazil.

However, the two teams had different fates, as Trentino, the reigning champions in the CEV Champions League Men, secured the first place in Pool B, while Cucine Lube Civitanova conceded one of their matches, against Iranian side Foolad Sirjan, to finish second.

Therefore, the second semi-final of the competition will be an all-Italian affair, with one Italian side, therefore an European team, making it into the big final, having a chance to extend the winning streak for European sides to three editions in a row, after Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia won the previous two editions.

Eight teams lined up at the start of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship 2024, with two European sides at the start – both from Italy, Trentino Itas and Cucine Lube Civitanova, being separated in the two pools of four teams each.

In Pool A, Cucine Lube Civitanova looked to be the favourites, but conceded an unexpected loss in the first match against Iranian side Foolad Sirjan, 2:3, after leading 2:1, but conceding the last two sets, 23:25 and 14:16.

Civitanova bounced back and clinched two wins against Praia Clube, 3:0, and Egyptian side Al-Ahly, 3:1, yet finished on the second place, due to Foolad Sirjan taking three wins in three matches and leading the way with eight points.

In Pool B, Trentino Itas, the reigning champions in the CEV Champions League Men, outplayed all three opponents. First, they started with a 3:0 win over the second Iranian side in the competition, Shahdav Yazd, doubling up with another 3:0 win over Argentinian side Ciudad Vóley.

In the last match, the Italian side conceded their maiden loss, 2:3 (25:19; 21:25; 25:18; 16:25; 12:15) against Sada Cruzeiro, the fan favourites and a four-time winner of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, the second most decorated team in the competition, with one title less than Trentino.

However, the Italian side won more points, seven, then Sada’s five, securing the first place and setting up an all-Italian clash in the semi-finals, against Cucine Lube Civitanova.

The two sides met four times in 2024, twice in the CEV Champions League Men, in last season’s semi-finals, when Trentino powered to the final with a 3:1 win in the first leg and a 2:3 loss in the second match.

Cucine Lube Civitanova also won the mutual match in the Italian league on 1 December, 3:1, and have made the final of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship four times, winning the title once.

The two semi-finals, the first one between Foolad Sirjan and Sada Cruzeiro, and the all-Italian one, will take place on Saturday, with the final and the bronze medal matches scheduled for Sunday.