Turkish Ziraat Bankkart (Ankara) qualified for the semifinals of the Men's Volleyball Champions League after defeating Polish Asseco Resovia (Rzeszów) 3:0 (25:22, 25:19, 25:21) at home in the quarter-final return leg.
Following their success in the first leg, the team from Ankara secured a place among the top four after just the first two sets of the return match. Although they had already fulfilled their task, the hosts did not slow down and closed the match without conceding a set to their opponent.
After winning the necessary two sets, Tomasz Fornal sat on the substitute bench, and former Dutch international Dick Kooy played the third set. Experts noted that Fornal's participation among the top four clubs in Europe this year is his fifth in a row since 2022.
The most effective player for the winners was current Dutch international Abdel-Aziz, who finished with 12 points, a +7 efficiency rating, 2 aces, and 45% attack success. He was also named MVP of the match.

Trevor Clevenot added another 10 points to the Turkish team's victory.
For the visitors from Rzeszów, only Karol Butryn reached double-digit points, scoring 16 points.
The second referee of the match was Dobromir Dobrev.

Team Statistics:

Ziraat Bankkart did not outperform their opponent in every element, but they were significantly more effective in key moments. The Turkish team compensated for a smaller number of blocks with better attack, more stable reception, and a significant advantage from serves. Particularly indicative is the difference in points scored from opponent errors  24 to 11, which clearly highlights the hosts' greater discipline and better risk management.

In the semifinals in Turin, Ziraat Bankkart will face the winner of the pair between Zawiercie and Lube Civitanova, whose match is scheduled for April 2.

photos:cev.eu