Home power on display as Ziraat, Zawiercie and Galatasaray celebrate opening wins in #CLVolleyM

A high-intensity night in the #CLVolleyM saw Ziraat Bankkart impose their power against Tours, Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie claim a fierce all-Polish derby over Resovia, and Galatasaray HDI Istanbul thrill their home crowd with a dramatic five-set victory against Knack Roeselare.

Pool A: Ziraat Bankkart ANKARA (TUR) vs. TOURS VB (FRA)  3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 25-21)

In their first-ever Champions League meeting, the reigning Turkish and French champions — both returning to Europe’s elite competition after a one-year absence — delivered a high-energy clash in Ankara. Ziraat Bankkart ANKARA came out on top, extending their unbeaten run in the Champions League after finishing the 2024/2025 season with six wins. The 2025 CEV Cup winners secured another important victory in front of a packed and electric home crowd.

Bedirhan Bülbül and Nimir Abdel-Aziz ignited the arena with a crucial block that pushed Ziraat to a 1–0 lead. The home fans kept the energy flowing, and their team responded with confident play. Tomasz Fornal sparked Ziraat’s offense, while on the other side setter Željko Ćorić efficiently distributed the ball, giving Tours a narrow 5–4 edge. A Fornal block on Mujanović swung momentum back to Ziraat at 10–9, only for Nik Mujanović to quickly restore Tours’ advantage at 11–10. A Trevor Clevenot spike put Ziraat ahead 13–12, and another from the French international stretched it to 15–13. Ziraat then opened the largest gap of the set at 20–17, later extending it to +5 (24–19) with back-to-back blocks. Nimir sealed the opener with a sharp diagonal hit for 25–21.

Nimir led Ziraat with 7 points (including 2 blocks) at a 63% hitting efficiency. For Tours, Alexandre Strehlau, Landry Kavogo Ysoussia, and Nik Mujanović each had 4 points, though the French champions failed to record a single block (Ziraat had five).

The second set opened with long rallies and gritty defending on both sides. Tours setter Ćorić showed signs of frustration — earning a yellow card — while Ziraat built an early 5–2 lead. Tours quickly regrouped, drawing level and then taking a 7–6 advantage through a Mujanović ace. The visitors maintained a slim lead between 9–7 and 15–13, with precise play from Ćorić, Mujanović, and Strehlau. A strong sequence from Mujanović pushed the gap to 16–13, and a clever one-handed move from Ćorić fooled the entire Ziraat block for 18–14.

Nimir’s tough serves helped close the gap to 19–17, but Kavogo stopped the run, and Strehlau’s block restored a four-point margin (21–17). With Mujanović firing from the wing, Tours earned three set points at 24–21, and Nimir’s error ended the set at 25–21.

Mujanović had 6 points in the set, Strehlau added 5, and Tours hit an impressive 59%. Fornal was Ziraat’s best scorer in the set with 6 points (1 block, 56% attack).

Both teams entered the third set with determination — Ziraat eager to bounce back, Tours to build on momentum. Mid-set, the hosts finally broke away, establishing leads of 17–12, 20–15, and 22–18, before closing it 25–19 for a 2–1 advantage. Ziraat delivered outstanding serve-receive numbers with 69% positive reception. Vahit Emre Savaş, Nimir Abdel-Aziz, and Bedirhan Bülbül each scored 4 points. Mujanović once again led Tours with 5 points.

Ziraat opened the fourth set strongly at 10–6, but Tours chipped away to 12–10 and 15–14. The visitors equalized at 17–17 with an ace from Guilherme Voss Messias Dos Santos, but Savaş responded immediately — first with a powerful spike, then with an ace — for a 19–17 lead. Bülbül extended it to 21–18, and Nimir earned three match points at 24–21. Kavogo’s error ended the contest: 25–21, 3–1 Ziraat.

Ziraat outblocked Tours 11–3, while both teams recorded five aces.

Nimir Abdel-Aziz was named MVP with 18 points, including 3 blocks and a 52% success rate in attack.

Pool D: Aluron CMC Warta ZAWIERCIE (POL) vs. Asseco Resovia RZESZÓW (POL) 3-1 (32-34, 25-22, 25-16, 25-20)

Last year's #CLVolleyM silver medallists, Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, opened the new campaign at Arena Sosnowiec, taking on their domestic rivals and wildcard recipients Asseco Resovia Rzeszów. Both teams, boasting impressive line-ups, were eager to prove stronger in this Polish derby.

The match began with Mateusz Poręba's quick attack through the middle, putting Resovia on the scoreboard first. Zawiercie responded immediately with two powerful spikes from Bartosz Kwolek — who scored 7 points in the opening set — and was the first choice for setter Miguel Tavares. The passionate, point-by-point battle electrified the Sosnowiec crowd. The first break came at 8–8, when Poręba stepped to the service line and Resovia earned three consecutive points after spectacular rallies. Zawiercie hit back quickly, and two service aces from captain Mateusz Bieniek pushed the hosts to a 12–11 lead, resetting the race. With both sides familiar with each other's well, neither spared any effort, fighting fiercely for every ball and delivering high-level volleyball. Zawiercie managed to carve out a small lead at 21–19, but Resovia erased it swiftly. In the decisive phase, they could rely on Karol Butryn, who was almost unstoppable (14 points and an impressive 81% success in attack in the opener). A massive spike from Bartłomiej Bołądź on an open net gave Zawiercie a chance to close the set at 24–23, but they failed to convert, sending the set into extra points. Resovia denied seven set points, yet their struggles from the service line prevented them from earning chances of their own. Finally, Butryn's kill delivered their first set point at 31–30, but Kwolek quickly equalised. Moments later, however, Klemen Cebulj's ace tipped the balance, sealing the set 34–32 for Resovia.

The tight race continued at the start of the second set. Miguel Tavares made full use of his attacking options, allowing Zawiercie to build a four-point lead at 8–4. However, Bartłomiej Bołądź quickly emerged as the standout performer. Resovia didn't get discouraged, two consecutive aces to Karol Butryn levelled the score at 9–9. From there, both teams traded powerful plays, with neither able to break away until 20–20. Zawiercie then managed to edge ahead 22–20 thanks to two decisive spikes from Bołądź. The Polish opposite became the key figure in the decisive part, scoring in total 8 points (88% success in attack) in the second set. Ultimately, it was a combined block from Andrzej Zniszczoł and Bartosz Kwolek on Butryn that sealed the set 25–22 for Zawiercie.

Zawiercie tried to keep the momentum early in the third set, moving ahead 6–4, but Resovia showed no signs of surrender, responding with powerful spikes — mainly from Karol Butryn (5 points in the third set). Still, it was Bartłomiej Bołądź who stole the show once again (5 points), leading the hosts as they expanded their advantage to 15–8. Zawiercie played with confidence and control, dominating on the court, while Resovia struggled increasingly with efficiency. Aaron Russell and Miłosz Zniszczoł contributed steadily with 3 and 4 points respectively, helping Zawiercie confidently close out the set with a commanding 25–16 victory. 

Both sides returned to the court fully determined, once again producing an intense point-by-point race at the start of the fourth set. A spectacular foot save followed by a powerful kill from Bartłomiej Bołądź pushed Zawiercie ahead 9–7. The hosts accelerated their pace, scoring in all elements and quickly pulling away after a series of successful plays, extending their lead to 17–11. Bołądź and Miłosz Zniszczoł (with 5 and 4 points respectively in the fourth set) added further pressure with ace serves, as Zawiercie confidently marched toward their first #CLVolleyM victory of the season. Resovia struggled to find effective responses, while Zawiercie enjoyed a commanding 23–15 lead after an attack from Aaron Russell. Although Resovia, with nothing to lose, managed to deny three match points, Russell’s spike eventually closed the set 25–20. 

Bartłomiej Bołądź, who scored an impressive 25 points, including 23 kills at 68% efficiency, 1 block, and 1 ace, was named MVP of the match. He was followed by Bartosz Kwolek with 17 points (15 kills at 58% success and 2 blocks) and Aaron Russell, who added 11. Miłosz Zniszczoł also delivered a standout performance with 4 kill blocks and 4 successful attacks. For Resovia, Karol Butryn topped all scorers with 27 points (23 kills at 56% efficiency, 3 aces, and 1 block), while Artur Szalpuk contributed 10 points.

Pool B: Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL (TUR) v Knack ROESELARE (BEL) 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-13)

Türkiye’s Galatasaray HDI Istanbul and Belgium’s Knack Roeselare started off their 2025-2026 CEV Champions League campaigns with a spectacular five-set battle against one another in a Pool B fixture that lasted well beyond two hours on Wednesday evening in Istanbul. After winning the last two sets by the narrowest of margins, Galatasaray celebrated a 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-13) victory.

After 9-8 in the first set, Galatasaray broke away with four points in a row and stayed well ahead on the scoreboard through the end of the set. Canadian outside hitter Stephen Maar was perfect in attack and produced Galatasaray’s only ace of the set. French opposite Jean Patry brought in set point with a monster block for 24-17. Two mistaken serves later, the set was over at 25-18. The second set was quite competitive through 10-10, but then Knack started widening up a gap in the score. With three aces from opposite Basil Dermaux in the set, and Canadian outside Erik Siksna spearheading the attacks, they levelled the match after a 25-19 set win, as the other outside, Mathijs Desmet, delivered the set winner.

Stepping up their spiking effort, the visitors took the lead in set three. Galatasaray managed to recover from a five-point deficit to catch up at 16-16, but it was short-lived. Knack regained control and pressed on. They reached set point after a pulverizing ace from Desmet. A successful block by Siksna converted it to a 25-21 close. Knack failed to capitalize on the momentum and started making more unforced errors in the fourth set. Galatasaray took control after 4-4 and never let go through the end of the set. The Belgian team kept the battle burning with a solid showing by Desmet in offense, but never managed to level up the set score. Instead, the home team leveled up the match score after a monster block by middle Ahmet Tümer for 25-23.

Knack came back from an early 5-2 Galatasaray lead in the fifth set with four points in a row on Dermaux’s serving to step in front. Still, the side switch came at 8-7 Galatasaray’s way. Two consecutive break points that came from a powerful pipe by Maar and a first-tempo kill by Cuban middle blocker Roamy Alonso gave the Turkish team a 12-9 lead, but with a brilliant Dermaux in attack, the Belgian side caught up again at 13-13. It was time for Tumer to shine again in the middle. With a kill in attack, followed by a monster block, he produced the last two points towards a 15-13 tie-breaker victory.

Stephen Maar earned the match MVP honors after fueling Galatasaray with a match-high 26 points, including three aces and two kill blocks. He registered a 54% success rate in attack. With six aces under his belt, Basil Dermaux was Knack’s most prolific scorer of the match on a total of 24 points.