Germany started their EuroVolley 2026 campaign with a victory, after turning around Turkey 3:1 (23:25, 25:22, 25:21, 25:19) in the first match for both teams in Group D in Cluj-Napoca.
The Turks started better and snatched the first set 25:23, but then the Bundesteam took the initiative. Germany equalized after 25:22, took the third set 25:21, and closed the match in the fourth with 25:19.
Mohwinkel was the top scorer for the winners with 16 points and 72% attack efficiency. Reichert added 14 points, and Brehme finished with 9 points with 75% success rate in attack.
For Turkey, Yüksel scored 16 points, Lagumdzija added 15, and Bayram – 13.
The result is also interesting from a Bulgarian perspective due to the battle in the world ranking. Before the start of EuroVolley, Turkey was directly behind Bulgaria and only 3.76 points away from ninth position.
Bulgaria increased its points from 272.25 to 274.10 after the 3:0 victory over North Macedonia, which brought 1.85 points.
The defeat by Germany, on the other hand, cost Turkey 8.98 points. Thus, the Turks' total decreased from 268.49 to 259.51 points.
After the first matches of both teams, Bulgaria retains ninth place in the world with 274.10 points, and Turkey is tenth with 259.51. The difference between them at the moment is 14.59 points.
Germany and Turkey are also potential opponents for Bulgaria in the EuroVolley knockout stages. Group D crosses with Group B, where the 'Lions' play, in the round of 16 in Sofia.