Istanbul once again became the stage for a classic of women's volleyball. In a match from the 6th round of the Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi, Bulgaria's newly re-appointed head coach Marcello Abbondanza and his Fenerbahçe Medicana dramatically triumphed over their big rival Galatasaray Daikin with a score of 3:2 (27:25, 22:25, 25:23, 25:27, 15:11).

In the atmosphere of the packed TVF Burhan Felek Vestel Voleybol Salonu, the "yellow-blues" showed resilience, character, and immense attacking class, led by their two megastars – Arina Fedorovtseva and Melissa Vargas.

Arina Fedorovtseva – 37 points and a complete spectacle

Fenerbahçe's Russian diamond played one of her strongest matches since the start of the season. 37 points, 64 attacks, 52% efficiency, 2 blocks, 2 aces, +26 overall efficiency – statistics that can only belong to a world-class player.

Already in the first set, she kept her team alive with 9 successful attacks out of 15 attempts, and in the tie-break, she again handled all the decisive balls.

Melissa Vargas – stability, power, and class

The Cuban star was also at an MVP level. 32 points, 53% attacking efficiency, 4 blocks, 1 ace – Vargas was the backbone of the team in moments when Galatasaray tried to turn the tide of the match.

Eda Erdem Dündar – the captain who changes games

Experience always matters. In the first set, captain Eda Erdem made a 7:0 run from her serve – a moment that turned the entire set around and set the tone for subsequent events. She finished the match with 11 points, but her influence in blocking (4 blocks) was far greater than the numbers.

Galatasaray Daikin – plenty of character, but not enough

The "yellow-reds" played one of their best matches of the season.
Fatime Miryam Sylla was the leader with 21 points, 49% in attack, and 36% reception.
Kaja Grobelna added 17 points, and Eline Timmerman – 8.
After an excellent start in the second set, Galatasaray seemed capable of turning the match around, but Fenerbahçe's depth and aggression tipped the scales.

Fenerbahçe once again showed why they remain one of the strongest teams in Europe. Under the leadership of Marcello Abbondanza, the team demonstrated character, depth, and exceptional power in attack. With such form from stars Arina Fedorovtseva and Melissa Vargas, the "yellow-blues" appear to be contenders not only for the title in Turkey but also for European glory.

And Galatasaray? They may have lost, but they delivered a derby that fans want – competitive and full of volleyball class.