Lausanne, Switzerland, May 18, 2019 - Italy's Cucine Lube Civitanova pulled together after the first set and dethroned Russia's Zenit Kazan with a 3-1 (16-25, 25-15, 25-12, 25-19) win in the final of the 2019 Men's European Champions League at Berlin's Max-Schmelling Halle before some 10,000 fans.
The Russian side had won the four previous Champions League titles in a row and were going for their fifth straight and seventh overall. Lube had missed their chance at dethroning them in last year's final, but fell in five sets.
This time around, Bulgaria's Tsvetan Sokolov sent a thundering back-court spike at match point to seal the deal with his match-high 17 points (including four stuffs and two aces). Cuban-born Yoandy Leal (who has been called to join Brazil's National Team for the first time this year) added 15 points and tournament MVP Osmany Juantorena another 14 for Lube. France's Earvin Ngapeth was Kazan's best scorer with 14 points.
The trophy comes just a few days after Lube claimed the domestic title in Italy's Superleague prevailing after five matches over Sir Safety Conad Perugia in the best-of-five final series.
The Champions League final was the last match of the men's club season across the world, ahead of the FIVB season which begins with the 2019 Volleyball Nations League on 31 May.
It was Lube's second Champions League title, after their success in 2002 with a four-set win in the final over Greece's Olympiacos Piraeus.
For Kazan it was the second setback of the season. They had previously lost the domestic title in Russia's Superleague for the first time in five years to Kuzbass Kemerovo.
Earlier in the evening at Berlin, Igor Gorgonzola Novara had prevailed 3-1 over Imoco Volley Conegliano in the all-Italian Women's Champions League final.
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