VOLLEY WEEK

Turkish final in the Women's Champions League

A Turkish final will determine the new champion in the Women's Champions League 2026 – VakifBank Istanbul versus Eczacibasi Istanbul. The second semi-final offered true drama, in which the Turkish team prevailed over Scandicci with a score of 3:2(18:25,25:20,25:17,20:25,15:8).The Italian squad started stronger and controlled the first set, but gradually gave up the initiative. Eczacibasi showed character, turning the tide with more effective play in attack and key blocks in decisive moments. The tie-break was entirely dictated by the Turkish team, which made a series of blocks and closed out the match convincingly.Thus, Italian clubs recorded a negative balance from the semi-finals (0-2), and the strong presence of former Serie A players in the Turkish teams' rosters is also notable.The top scorers in the match were Magdalena Stysiak with 30 points for Eczacibasi and Ekaterina Antropova with 34 for Scandicci, but the collective play of the Turkish team proved decisive, supported by a stable block and key performances from Karakurt and Jack-Kisal.In the small final, Scandicci will face Conegliano, while the grand stage remains entirely Turkish – a clash between two of Europe's most powerful clubs.photo:cev.eu