Fenerbahçe stay on top, Novara break through on decisive Pool B night

The fifth round of the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026 delivered a decisive night in Pool B, with the two Italian and Turkish heavyweights confirming their ambitions. Fenerbahçe Medicana Istanbul showed their depth and composure on the road to secure first place with a straight-sets win in Lisbon, while Igor Gorgonzola Novara turned a tricky matchup into a statement performance at home, overcoming PGE Budowlani Łódź to book their place in the next round. Two matches, two clear messages: experience, balance and timing proved decisive as the group stage approaches its conclusion.

Pool B - Sport LISBOA e Benfica (POR) vs Fenerbahçe Medicana ISTANBUL (TUR) 0-3 (20-25, 29-31, 17-25) 

The Pool B clash between leaders Fenerbahce Medicana Istanbul and bottom-placed Sport Lisboa e Benfica had a clear favorite on paper, but the Portuguese side were determined to showcase their volleyball in front of the home crowd. Fenerbahce began the match without Erdem, Orro, Fedorovtseva and Vargas, yet the depth of their star-studded roster allowed the visitors to maintain control from the outset. Hande Baladin and Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani led the way early, guiding Fenerbahce to a 9–6 advantage. Backed by a strong collective effort and seven points from Kyra Holt in the opening set, Benfica pushed hard and came close to leveling the score at 10–11 and again at 14–13. Each surge, however, met an immediate response from the Turkish side. A serving run by Baladin (who scored 5 points in the set) extended Fenerbahce’s lead to 18–13 and set them firmly on course for the set win. Bedart-Ghani proved unstoppable, finishing the opener with 9 kills at a 75% success rate, while a block from Asli Kalac closed the set at 25–20.

The hosts set a high tempo from the start of the second set, showcasing their collective strength and fighting for every ball to keep pace with their rival (7–7). Their efforts were rewarded with a 10–8 lead after successful actions from Çetin and Holt. The momentum then swung in Fenerbahce’s favor, as the visitors claimed 6 consecutive rallies (14–10), driven by Ana Cristina, who stood out in both attack and from the service line on her way to 9 points in the set. The advantage proved far from decisive. Benfica, working hard at the net, found their way back with strong blocking to level the score at 15–15, turning the set into a dramatic, point-for-point battle that extended into extra time. Both teams had opportunities to close the set, further igniting the atmosphere at the Pavilhão Fidelidade. At 25–25, Fenerbahce head coach Marcello Abbondanza brought in Alessia Orro and Arina Fedorovtseva, but the hosts refused to surrender, led by an efficient Çetin, who scored 8 points at an impressive 86% success rate. The thrilling race was finally decided at 31–29 by an ace from Fedorovtseva, sealing the set for the visitors.

Despite early difficulties and a 1–4 deficit, Lisboa continued to battle, quickly levelling the score and restarting a tight race that lasted until 10–10. Then, with Alessia Orro at the service line, Fenerbahce pulled ahead to 15–11. From there, powerful attacks by Bedart-Ghani, Baladin, Korneluk and Ana Cristina steadily widened the gap to 21–15, allowing Orro to distribute with confidence. An attack from Ana Cristina sealed the set and the match at 25–17, confirming Fenerbahce’s first-place finish in Pool B already after this leg.

Ana Cristina led all scorers with 18 points, including 15 kills at 47% success, 2 blocks and 1 ace, while also posting 72% positive reception to earn the MVP award. She was followed by Hande Baladin with 17 points and Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani with 16. For Benfica, Kyra Holt finished with 15 points and Cansu Çetin added 11.

Pool B - Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA (ITA) vs PGE Budowlani ŁÓDŹ (POL) 3-1 (20-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-10)

With one match remaining before the final round of the pool stage, the clash between the second- and third-placed teams in Pool B - Igor Gorgonzola Novara and PGE Budowlani Łódź - carried significant weight. 

Despite Novara enjoying home-court advantage, it was Łódź who set the tone from the beginning of the first set. Paulina Damaske closed the opening rally with a powerful spike, sparking a strong start (4–1). Setter Alicja Grabka immediately varied the tempo and involved the middles. Damaske (6 points in the set), Sasa Planinsec (4) and Maja Storck (5) drove Budowlani’s offense. Novara briefly leveled at 7–7, but Łódź responded with a dominant blocking performance, scoring five points in that element. Two aces from Joanna Lelonkiewicz in one run extended the visitors’ lead to 14–9. Although Mayu Ishikawa (5 points) stopped the streak, Łódź maintained control up to 20–14. Novara then rallied with 4 straight points, fueled by Ishikawa’s attacks, but Budowlani closed the set with a block from Lelonkiewicz on Tolok (4), winning it 25–20.

Stronger pressure from the service line by Squarcini and Herbots allowed Igor Gorgonzola Novara to take an early 7–4 lead. Struggling in reception and unable to find their rhythm, Budowlani committed a series of unforced errors, while the hosts grew in confidence in attack to extend the lead to 12–7. Tatiana Tolok, who had only 29% in attack in the opening set, rediscovered her form and again made the difference with her powerful hitting, recording 6 kill spikes at a 75% success rate. Despite trailing by six points at 14–8, Łódź refused to give up and, led by Rodica Buterez, cut the deficit to 14–12. The response from Novara was immediate, determined and composed, the hosts surged ahead to 21–13, driven by Tolok and Mayu Ishikawa (8 and 5 points respectively). Novara also asserted control at the net, making block their advantage. a decisive spike from Tolok closed the set at 25–17.

Novara carried their momentum into the third set, taking early control at 3–1 and extending the lead to 12–7 with playing confident in attack and forcing Budowlani into unforced errors. The Tolok–Ishikawa duo, with 5 points each in the set, dictated the tempo and repeatedly troubled Łódź’s defense. A brief lapse in concentration allowed the visitors back into the game. Powered by Sasa Planinsec and Paulina Damaske, Budowlani closed the gap to 14–13 and level the score at 15–15 after a spike from Maja Storck (also 5 points), turning the set into a tight battle that remained close until 21–21. In the decisive moments, however, Ishikawa and Tolok stepped up, however it was Lina Alsmeier sealing the set 25–22 with an ace.

Sparked their home crowd, the hosts pulled away quickly at the start of the fourth set, racing to a 10–5 lead. Determined to close out the match, Novara delivered an almost flawless performance, leaving Budowlani without an answer. An extraordinary service run by Tatiana Tolok proved decisive, as she took Novara from 10–6 to 16–6, including three consecutive aces and effectively breaking the visitors’ resistance. From there, the hosts put on a power display, cruising to a dominant 25–10 set win and firmly consolidating their second place in the pool.

Tolok was a match top scorer after tallying 24 points and received the MVP award. Her stats including 4 aces, 2 blocks and 18 kills at 45% success. Mayu Ishikawa also delivered a standout performance, contributing 18 points with 17 kills at a remarkable 61% success rate, adding one ace and an impressive 81% positive reception. For Budowlani, Maja Storck led the scoring with 16 points.