A brutal blow at the very end. Poles’ dreams must be postponed

However, it can be maliciously written that there were not enough fans in the arena in Turin to call it a spectacle in an appropriate setting. However, this is a topic for a completely different text, which is why the European federation (CEV) and the Italian organizers were unable to repeat the high attendance success of 2023.

At that time, the following players played in the Champions League final: Polish clubs from Kędzierzyn-Koźle and Jastrzębie-Zdrój (there was also a Champions League battle), and in the capital of Piedmont the stands were filled.

However, the 2026 edition is a much, much worse result in this respect.

PGE Projekt Warszawa in a historic match! A five-set thriller

Leaving aside the insults towards the organizers of the Final Four of the Volleyball Champions League, the first Sunday (i.e. May 17) meeting brought a lot of play. Is it good? There seemed to be moments where the quality that was on both sides of the net was certainly evident.

If you were looking for someone more disappointed after Saturday’s (i.e. May 16) semi-finals, you would probably have to look at the Turkish side. Ziraat Bankkart Ankara came to Turin as the holder of the domestic triple crown. However, the problem for Tomasz Fornal and company’s team was that they had actually had a month without an official match. PGE Projekt, which had recently finished playing for the bronze medal in PlusLiga, was in a different position. The Warsaw team won a medal giving them a pass to play in the Champions League next season, and as a dessert – they went to the Apennine Peninsula.

While in the semi-final against the defending champion team from Perugia, coach Kamil Nalepka’s team was only once close to extending the clash longer than three sets (the end of the last set and the set ball up at 24:23), it was completely different against the Turkish opponent. What’s more, PGE Projekt was in the lead twice, first 1:0 and then 2:1 in sets.

Kevin Tillie and Bartosz Gomułka played concerts on the Warsaw side. It’s mainly about the offense (although the Frenchman was also very good at receiving it), in the case of both players. Bartosz Firszt, who was most burdened during the reception, also performed his duties very well.

On the Turkish side, the biggest burden was on the shoulders of the Dutch attacker, just like in the semi-final defeat against Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie (1-3). Nimir Abdel-Aziz already exceeded the 30-point mark during the tie-break. Although it must be admitted that Murat Yenipazar deserves a lot of criticism overall. A quarterback who – to put it mildly – ​​did not pamper his teammates with the quality of play. Coach Ziraatu lost patience with this volleyball player, replacing him with Hilimi Sahin in the fourth set, leaving his substitute on the court until the end of the competition.

It was the right move, because although the Turkish giant was far from his optimal play, he was still able to win the bronze medal in the Champions League (the first such medal in the club’s history). Tomasz Fornal? The volleyball player himself admitted that the team does not present what it would like to present. And this form, with monthly ballast, was also visible in the Polish ace of the Polish national team.

The inhabitants of Warsaw – as the PGE Projekt club – played in their first Champions League Final Four in history. This time they did not win a medal, but their presence in the four best teams in Europe in the 2025/26 season is certainly commendable. And who knows, maybe in the next campaign there will be time for a stronger attack on the Old Continent, especially considering that the plans in the capital and personnel movements seem to indicate this.