Sir win regular season in Italy, book Champions League spot

Reigning club world and European champions Sir Susa Scai Perugia swept the big game of the 21^st leg in the Italian men’s volleyball SuperLega Credem Banca at Rana Verona, secured the first place in the final regular season standings with one leg to go, and booked a spot in next season’s CEV Champions League, where they can engage in chasing another continental title.

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On Saturday evening, the direct battle for the first place between second-placed Rana Verona and table leaders Sir Susa Scai Perugia went 3-0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-23) the way of the visitors from Perugia. In front of well over five thousand fans in the stands of the sold-out Agsm AIM hall, Sir’s star setter and captain Simone Giannelli conducted his team’s offense to a 65% success rate in attack, himself spiking two points at a 100% success, serving three aces and raising a kill block to earn the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Tunisian opposite Wassim Ben Tara led the winners with 13 points, while Verona’s Brazilian opposite Darlan Souza emerged as the best scorer of the match with 17 points. With Sir on top of the current standings on 55 points and a 19-2 win-loss record, and Verona in second place on 48 and 17-4, mathematically, the gap of seven points can no longer be closed through the end of the regular season on Wednesday.

In another high-level clash, Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza took a 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22) home win over defending champions Itas Trentino Trento. This result not only cemented Rana Verona in second place, but also made the three-way fight for the places from third to fifth in the last leg of regular season action even more unpredictable. Gas Sales’ Turkish outside hitter had a brilliant performance, with five serving aces and 20 spike kills at a 56% success rate towards a match-high 25 points. Trentino remained in third place on 44 and 15-6, just a point above fifth-placed Gas Sales, now standing on 43 and 13-8.

Valsa Group Modena are in between, in fourth place on 44 and 15-6, with a lower set ratio than Trentino. In Sunday’s only straight-setter, they hammered out a 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-20) road win over second-division-bound Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina on Sunday. Middle blocker Giovanni Sanguinetti spearheaded Modena with seven spike points at a 78% success rate, five aces and two kill blocks towards a team-high 14 points. In their last home game in the SuperLega for the time being, Grottazzolina’s scorers were led by Bulgarian opposite Georgi Tatarov with a match-high 15 points (70% success rate in attack, one block). Yuasa Battery trail bottom, in 12^th place, on 6 and 1-20.

Cucine Lube Civitanova secured a sixth-place finish with a hard-fought 3-2 (25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 27-29, 15-7) win at Cisterna Volley in Sunday’s opening match. Lube improved to 37 and 12-9, while Cisterna are 10^th on 15 and 5-16. Traditionally, Bulgarian star outside Aleksandar Nikolov was on top of the scorers chart of the match. He hit 31 points in attack at a 63% success rate and added two stuffs and an ace towards a match-high 34 points for the winners.

Reasserting their presence among the quarterfinalists for the upcoming playoffs, Vero Volley Monza celebrated a 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-21) home victory over Allianz Milan, shortening the distance between them in the table to just four points. Vero Volley are in eighth place on 25 and 8-13, while Allianz are seventh on 29 and 10-11. Two Bulgarians – 18-year-old receiving opposite Zhasmin Velichkov (three blocks, one ace) and outside hitter Martin Atanasov (three aces, 65% success rate in attack) – led the winners with 17 and 16 points, respectively. German outside Erik Rohrs also finished with 16 points, including three stuffs and two aces. Allianz’s Belgian striker Ferre Reggers delivered a match-high 22 points, all in swings.

In a fierce battle for better positioning in the fifth-place playoff grid, Sonepar Padova Padua squeezed out a tight 3-2 (21-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 16-14) road win over SuperLega rookies MA Acqua San Bernardo Cuneo. Padova’s 21-year-old outside Mattia Orioli was the best scorer of the match with 20 points, including two blocks and an ace. The team from Padua is in ninth place on 17 and 7-14, while Cuneo are 11^th on 15 and 4-17.

The six matches of the ultimate 22^nd leg will be played on Wednesday, February 25.

SuperLega Credem Banca 2025-2026 22nd-leg schedule:
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Valsa Group Modena v Rana Verona
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Cucine Lube Civitanova v Vero Volley Monza
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Itas Trentino Trento v Cisterna Volley
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Sir Susa Scai Perugia v Yuasa Battery Grottazzolina
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Sonepar Padova Padua v Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza
Feb 25, 20:30 local (19:30 UTC): Allianz Milan v MA Acqua San Bernardo Cuneo

SuperLega Credem Banca 2025-2026 schedule and results

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