"Incredible" - Colaci’s golden last dance

Massimo Colaci could hardly have imagined a better ending to his remarkable career. At 41 years old, the libero closed the final chapter of his playing journey at the CEV Champions League Volley 2026 Men’s Final Four in Torino by lifting his third #CLVolleyM trophy - and by making history. Not only was Colaci named MVP of the tournament, he also became the oldest player ever to receive the award and the first libero in Champions League history to earn the honour.

Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia completed a flawless campaign in Torino, defending their European crown without dropping a single set during the Final Four. For Colaci, the triumph carried special meaning. He had waited 14 years between his first Champions League title with Trentino Volley in 2011 and his second trophy won in the previous season with Perugia. His third and final European crown arrived just twelve months later - in the very last match of his career, after announcing earlier this month that he would retire at the end of the season.

"It’s incredible. I’m very happy - happy for myself, for my teammates, for our supporters and our fans. It’s hard to find the right words to describe how incredible and how fantastic this feels. I’ve had a great career, a long journey. This is absolutely incredible," Colaci said after the victory.

Asked which of his three Champions League titles meant the most to him, the Italian libero struggled to hide his emotions. "Every one is special, every one has its own story, but I really like this one," he said while looking down at the medal with tears in his eyes. "This is a fantastic one for me. The last one. I like this medal a lot. This gold medal… I don’t even know what to say. For me, it is very emotional."

The celebrations at the Inalpi Arena in Torino became even more memorable when Colaci was named both Best Libero and MVP of the Final Four - a historic achievement for a player in his position. "I completely didn’t expect it. It’s the second time in such a short period that I’ve been named MVP, because ten days ago I was also MVP of the Italian championship final. It’s unbelievable. Even at 41 years old, I’ve had a totally new experience by receiving such an honour."

Colaci leaves the sport with one of the most decorated careers in Italian volleyball. Alongside numerous domestic and international club trophies, he also celebrated major achievements with the Italian national team, including Olympic silver at 2016 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2015 EuroVolley.

Despite ending his playing career on the highest possible note, Colaci admitted that Volleyball will likely remain part of his future. "No, no," he smiled when asked whether this success could convince him to continue playing. "But maybe I can work with Perugia and stay in Volleyball in a different role. I will think about that later. Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment and this success."