Kazan, Russia, May 13, 2018 - 2017 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship winners Zenit Kazan defeated Italy's Cucine Lube Civitanova 3-2 (29-27, 18-25, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15) to add a record overall sixth and fourth straight CEV Volleyball Champions League crown to their resume on Sunday.
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The final was a repeat of the gold medal match in last year's Men’s Club World Championship in Krakow in December – which Zenit Kazan claimed three sets to none.
The match was likely to feature a number of interesting duels – like those between Cuban-born outside hitters Wilfredo Leon and Osmany Juantorena, opposites Maxim Mikhailov and Tsvetan Sokolov, liberos Alexey Verbov and Jénia Grebennikov, to name only a few. Zenit claimed the first set, but lost the next two. And working their way back in the fourth set was no easy task. And in the fifth it was not before Leon's two finals points, including an ace, that the home crowd could celebrate victory.
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MVP Maxim Mikhailov (Russia/Zenit Kazan)
Dream Team Outside Hitters: Osmany Juantorena Portuondo (Italy/Cucine Lube Civitanova) and Wilfredo Leon Venero (Poland/Zenit Kazan)
Middle Blockers: Dragan Stankovic (Serbia/Cucine Lube Civitanova) and Marko Podrascanin (Serbia/Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia)
Opposite: Tsvetan Sokolov (Bulgaria/Cucine Lube Civitanova)
Setter: Alexander Butko (Russia/Zenit Kazan)
Libero: Jénia Grebennikov (France/Cucine Lube Civitanova)
Final standings 1. Zenit Kazan (Russia)
2. Cucine Lube Civitanova (Italy)
3. Sir Colussi Sicoma Perugia (Italy)
4. Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle (Poland)