Perugia (Italy), the team that Yuki Ishikawa plays for, won the semi-finals of the European Champions League Final 4 (held in Poland) held on Friday, May 16th local time, and advanced to the finals. The other semi-final was held on Saturday, the 17th, and after a close match that went to full sets, Zabiercie (Poland) won. As a result, the final matchup was decided to be between Perugia and Zabiercie.
Xabierce won a close match
While Perugia won their semifinal against Halkbank Ankara of Turkey 3-0, Zawierce lost the first two sets to Poland's Jastrzebski (19-25, 18-25), then reeled off two more (25-20, 25-19) and won the fifth set in a close match of 15 points, 22-20.
Zawiercie had only just finished their domestic league a week earlier, and had the shortest preparation time of any team in the Final Four, as well as the most injured players, so Jastrzebski was widely expected to win, but this was a major comeback victory that overturned those predictions.
The director is a rival
One of the key players in this dramatic comeback was the Polish coach, Wienialski. He is the coach of the German national team that beat the Japanese men's national team at last year's Paris Olympics, where they made multiple successful challenges at key moments. Considering that the loss to Germany had a major impact on the team's subsequent matches, this will be a showdown with a kind of rivalry for Ishikawa Yuki. In the Champions League semi-finals, he led his team to victory with effective substitutions, tactics, and precise challenges.
Wijnalski's comments after the semi-final
"I think we've already accomplished something great today, so now we just want to play our own volleyball and enjoy being on the stage of the final. Today was a tough full-set match and we don't have much time to recover, but we'll start like this and do the best we can. And I want to write even more beautiful 'history' tomorrow than the one we've already written today."
When asked if there was any plan to "block Ishikawa" like in the Paris Olympics, he simply replied, "I hope that happens."
What Perugia and Xabierce have in common
The two teams also have some things in common.
①Serve ranking 1st
Both teams led the league in service aces per set during the regular season (2.33 for Perugia, 1.95 for Xavierche). This means that the deciding factor in the final will be how well they can continue to serve aggressively and withstand the opponent's serves.
②The only title they have won this season is the Super Cup
The Super Cup (Supercoppa in Italy, Super Puhar in Poland) is a competition held at the beginning of the season with a small number of teams consisting of the previous season's domestic league and cup winners, and both teams won the title there. However, Perugia subsequently lost in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia and domestic league, while Zabiercie lost in the finals of Puchalpolski and domestic league, missing out on the title.
3. No Champions League victory
Perugia's highest finish in the UEFA Champions League is second (2016/17), while Xavierche's highest is fifth (quarterfinals, 2023/24), meaning that whoever wins the final will be their first ever title.
Xabierce players to watch out for
Bartosz Kuforek
Outside hitter 193cm
He is the key player in Zabierce's offense and defense. Although he is not tall, he has a wide range of skills and is a tricky player with a wide range of all-round play. In the semi-finals, he scored 24 points, the most on his team, and contributed greatly to the team's comeback victory. He is a former member of the Polish national team, and although he still has the skills, he apparently declined to play. He is about the same height as Japanese players, but exudes a relaxed and nonchalant aura, as if mocking his opponents, and may be a type of player not often seen in Japan.
Luke Perry
Libero 180cm
He is a super libero of the Ishikawa generation (born in 1995) who has been playing for the Australian national team since he was 17 years old. In the Polish league, he is a talented player who is always named as the No. 1 libero in the league along with Eric Shoji of the US national team, and is particularly attractive for his wide defensive range, accurate serve reception, and accurate setting as a second setter. In other words, he is closer to Ogawa than Yamamoto in the Japanese national team. By the way, although he is a libero, his highest reach is 330 cm, and Mr. M, a Japanese player who used to play in the Polish league, recommended that we pay attention to his warm-up, saying, "Perry is amazing, his free spikes (lol)."
Perry's comments after the semi-finals
"Perugia is a great team with high-level players. As always, the key to the match will be serving and reception. But to be honest, I'm not really thinking about Perugia right now (laughs). I'll think about it from tonight."
Perugia has the advantage, but Zabierche has the momentum and home advantage
Perugia has the advantage. Like Xavierche, Perugia is not in perfect condition with injured players such as Semeniuk, but Perugia has the advantage in the decision-making ability of the three side attackers. If both teams have a run of serves and it becomes a high ball contest, Perugia will have a considerable advantage.
And above all, Perugia won the semi-finals in straight sets and had one day of rest, while Xavierche won in full sets and must play consecutive matches without rest. This will inevitably result in a difference in physical condition.
However, Zabiercie is the only team in this tournament that has advanced undefeated since the qualifying round (Perugia lost once to Halkbank in the qualifying round), and won the semi-finals with a dramatic comeback. In other words, they are on a roll. Of course, the passionate supporters in Poland will surely be cheering for Zabiercie. Sometimes in sports, momentum and flow can overcome fatigue.
Perugia or Xavierce?
For both teams, win or lose, it's the final game of the season. I hope they will give it their all and put in their best performances and play their best games.
The CEV European Champions League final will be broadcast on Monday, May 19th at 3am Japan time. It can be viewed online from Japan via EuroVolleyTV (fee required).
EuroVolleyTV
https://www.eurovolley.tv/
Photo: CEV
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