VakıfBank Istanbul qualified for the Final Four of the Champions League after eliminating Vero Volley Milano with a 3:2 (25:22, 16:25, 25:16, 23:25, 15:12) victory in the return leg of the quarter-final playoff. The Turkish team advances with two wins, having also won the first match in Italy with a 3:2 score.
The match in Istanbul offered a full dose of tension. The guests from Milano managed to force the match into a tie-break, and in the decisive set, they even led 11:10. However, a comeback followed – the hosts equalized, took the initiative, and closed out the match with a 15:12 score.
Bulgarian interest was focused on Alex Nikolov's presence in the hall. The national team player used the break after Lube's success in the quarter-final playoff against Trentino to travel to Istanbul and watch the match live. As we previously wrote, he maintains close relations with Milano's Serbian middle blocker Hena Kurtagić. French national player Jean Patry also accompanied Nikolov in the hall.
The top scorer in Italy did not go unnoticed by the fans, and after the match, they surrounded him for photos. He was accompanied by another Bulgarian national player - Georgi Tatarov, who currently plays for Galatasaray. Nikolov was also accompanied by his Lube teammate Giovanni Gargiulo, and they were joined by their former teammate Petar Dirlic, who now plays in Turkey.
Individually for VakıfBank, Marina Markova was the most productive with 23 points and an impressive 6 blocks. Tijana Bošković added 17, Chiaka Ogbogu finished with 12, and Zehra Güneş scored 10 points.
For Milano, Paola Egonu also scored 23 points, Rebecca Piva added 13, Hena Kurtagić finished with 11, and Cailia Linière contributed 10, but this was not enough for a victory.
Team Statistics
| Category | VakıfBank | Milano |
|---|---|---|
| Blocks | 13 | 13 |
| Attack Efficiency | 40% | 41% |
| Attack Points | 54 | 58 |
| Positive Reception | 49% | 42% |
| Aces | 5 | 2 |
| Service Errors | 8 | 15 |
| Points from Opponent Errors | 32 | 27 |
Despite the similarity in blocks and the minimal difference in attack, VakıfBank made the difference in key elements – better reception and significantly fewer service errors. Additionally, the Turkish team gained more points from opponent errors, which proved decisive in the evenly matched encounter.
In the tie-break, the hosts showed stronger mentality – they executed a crucial block and a direct service point, while simultaneously limiting their own errors, which tipped the scales in their favor.
With this success, VakıfBank secured a spot in the Final Four tournament in Istanbul, where the semifinals and final of the competition will be played. There, Giovanni Guidetti's team will face Conegliano in the semifinal. In the other semifinal, Eczacıbaşı and Scandicci will compete against each other.
