Kyoto, Japan, May 17, 2025 – Following a dramatic day of high-stakes action at the Shimadzu Arena, Japan’s Osaka Bluteon and Qatar’s Al-Rayyan Sports Club are set to clash in the highly-anticipated final of the inaugural AVC Men’s Champions League.
After the shock exit of SV.League champions Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in the hard-fought thriller earlier, Osaka Bluteon restored national pride with a commanding 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-18, 25-19) victory over defending Asian Club champions Foolad Sirjan Iranian in Saturday’s semifinals. With this win, the Japanese side not only secured a place in the historic final but also booked a coveted berth at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.
“It was a tough but great game. Everyone on our team dreamed of playing at the Club World Championship, and today we’ve made that a reality,” said Bluteon setter Eiro Motoki, who orchestrated the offense throughout all four sets.
Cuban outside hitter Miguel Ángel López led the scoring with 24 points (22 kills, 1 block, 1 ace), while Yuji Nishida contributed 18 points, including 15 kills, and Shoma Tomita added 12. French superstar and two-time Olympic MVP Earvin Ngapeth made a strong impact with 20 points, including 16 kills from 32 attempts.
In the first semifinal clash earlier, Al-Rayyan Sports Club delivered an electrifying performance to rally past Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in a five-set thriller, 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 17-15), securing their spot in the final and a ticket to the Club World Championship.
Star opposite Abdel-Aziz Nimir was the hero of the match, racking up a stunning 40 points from 31 kills, 5 aces, and 4 blocks. A familiar face to Japanese fans due to his stint with Wolfdogs Nagoya, Nimir was a constant threat throughout the match.
“Playing against Suntory is never easy – they are a very strong and disciplined team,” said Al-Rayyan head coach Luis Cunha Serjio in the post-match press conference. “I’m proud of my players for giving their all, and I also commend Suntory Sunbirds for their excellent performance.”
On the opposing side, Russian outside hitter Dmitriy Muserskiy tallied 30 points (25 kills, 2 blocks, 3 aces) for Suntory Sunbirds, while Japanese ace Ran Takahashi added 20 points, including 19 kills.
Following the heartbreaking loss, Ran addressed the crowd with emotion during his on-court interview.
“I’m not disappointed in our team as we gave everything we had. These tears are not of sadness, but of gratitude. Even in tough times, our fans stayed with us. That unwavering support is something we’re deeply proud of, regardless of the result.”
With the semifinals concluded, the stage is now set for the AVC Men’s Champions League final. Osaka Bluteon will take on Al-Rayyan Sports Club on Sunday at 16:05 local time (UTC+7:05) in what promises to be a thrilling championship showdown.
Earlier in the day, Suntory Sunbirds Osaka and Foolad Sirjan Iranian will contest the bronze-medal match at 12:05 local time (UTC+3:05). Both matches will be followed by the awards presentation and closing ceremony, concluding eight days of world-class volleyball in this historic inaugural edition of the tournament.
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