National team player Denislav Bardarov was once again among the driving forces of Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor, helping the team defeat Halkbank 3:1 in sets and secure the full three points in the interim sixth round of the Efeler League. The Bulgarian outside hitter finished with 15 points and a solid performance in attack and reception, and his role in key moments tipped the scales in favor of the hosts.

The clash between compatriots also generated great interest – against Bardarov on one side stood Radostin Stoychev's Halkbank, where Matey Kaziyski and Tsvetan Sokolov were starters. Sokolov finished the match with 16 points, while Kaziyski added 15 with a strong positive reception percentage, but their efforts were not enough for a comeback.

All three Bulgarians were among their teams' highest scorers.

The match at the IBB Cebeci Sports Complex went through four evenly contested sets – 25:22, 25:21, 20:25, 25:22. This was IBB's third victory, bringing the team's total to 10 points. Halkbank remained with 11 points.

Halkbank reacted well in the third set, but a lack of stability in their reception prevented them from reaching a tie-break.

The hosts relied on a strong performance from Ali Fazlı, who scored 19 points, and Halil İbrahim Yücel added 18. Both combined aggressive serving, powerful attacking, and good defensive work.

For the Ankara team, the strongest player was Cuban Yoandy Leal, who finished with 19 points. He attacked with 60% efficiency, but even his performance was not enough to turn the match around.