Tie-break triumphs for Halkbank, Perugia and Montpellier as Lube win again in Pool E

As a new day of #CLVolleyM action unfolded, the results once again underlined the intensity and depth of the competition, with decisive encounters continuing to shape the race toward the knockout stages.

Halkbank Ankara delivered a resilient performance to overcome Galatasaray in a dramatic five-set battle. Volleyball fans across the continent also witnessed two further tie-breaks, as Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia prevailed in five sets against Guaguas Las Palmas, while Montpellier HSC VB edged past Polish powerhouse PGE Projekt Warszawa in another thriller.

In Pool E, Cucine Lube Civitanova maintained their strong campaign with another convincing victory, this time overcoming Volley Haasrode Leuven.

Pool B: Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) vs. Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL (TUR) 3–2
(25–18, 25–19, 18–25, 35–37, 18–16) 

Halkbank ANKARA claimed their first victory in Pool B of the CEV Champions League 2026 after an opening-round defeat, edging out Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL in a dramatic all-Turkish clash. The first-ever Champions League meeting between two Turkish teams turned into a marathon, lasting an impressive 156 minutes, with the fourth set alone stretching to 56 minutes.

The teams were level until the middle of the opening set, when Halkbank pulled clear at 16–10 and later extended the gap to 21–14 before closing it out 25–18. Yoandy Leal Hidalgo scored seven points in the first set (two blocks, 50% attack efficiency), as Halkbank posted an outstanding 69% positive reception and six blocks, compared to Galatasaray’s three blocks and 38% positive reception.

A similar pattern followed in the second set, with Halkbank gradually increasing their advantage. They led 16–12 and 21–16 before taking the set 25–19 to go up 2–0. Matey Kaziyski, Marek Šotola and Yoandy Leal Hidalgo each scored four points, while Ertuğrul Metin added three for Halkbank, who finished the set with an incredible 82% positive reception. On the other side, Timothy Stephen Maar led Galatasaray with nine points and an excellent 75% attack efficiency.

Galatasaray responded strongly in the third set, taking control from the outset. They led 8–6, then extended the margin to 16–11 and 21–16, eventually winning the set 25–18 to cut the deficit to 2–1. Galatasaray recorded an impressive 73% success rate in attack and four blocks, compared to just one for Halkbank. Jean Patry and Ahmet Tümer scored five points each, while Gökçen Yüksel added four. For Halkbank, Yoandy Leal Hidalgo was again the standout with 10 points (two aces, one block, 70% attack).

The fourth set delivered the night’s biggest drama. Galatasaray held a slim lead deep into the set at 21–20, before a tense finish unfolded. Halkbank had three match points but failed to convert, while Galatasaray finally took their 10th set point to level the match at 2–2 with a 37–35 win in the longest set of this season’s Champions League.

The tie-break mirrored the intensity of the fourth set, with both teams fighting for every point despite visible fatigue after 133 minutes of play. Galatasaray maintained a narrow advantage until the closing stages, when Halkbank turned the score around with a block by Ahmet Samet Baltacı to go up 13–12. Matey Kaziyski earned Halkbank their first match point of the fifth set at 14–13, before a service error by Brodie Joseph Hofer made it 14–14. Kaziyski struck again for 15–14, Jean Patry answered at 15–15, and Marek Šotola put Halkbank ahead 16–15. Timothy Stephen Maar kept Galatasaray alive at 16–16, but Halkbank finally converted their seventh match point—and fourth in the tie-break— for an 18–16 win and a 3–2 victory.

Yoandy Leal Hidalgo was named MVP after scoring 29 points (three aces, four blocks, 51% attack efficiency). Matey Kaziyski added 26 points for Halkbank, while Galatasaray were led by Jean Patry with 23 points (four aces, three blocks) and Timothy Stephen Maar with 22 points (one ace, two blocks).

Pool C: Guaguas LAS PALMAS (ESP) vs. Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA (ITA) 2-3 (23-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-16, 10-15)

Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA showed the resilience of reigning champions as they fought back to edge past Guaguas LAS PALMAS in a thrilling five-set battle, winning 3-2 (25-23, 25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 15-10) on Wednesday evening at a packed Gran Canaria Arena in Pool C of the CEV Champions League Volley 2026.

In front of 2,500 spectators, the Italian side made a solid start, claiming the first two sets with composure and efficiency at the net. Wassim Ben Tara and Sebastian Solé were particularly influential early on, allowing Perugia to build a two-set cushion despite strong resistance from the Spanish champions.

Guaguas, however, refused to go quietly. Led by a powerful performance from Francisco Wallyson Bezerra Souza, the hosts raised their level in attack and serving to turn the match around. They dominated the third set and carried their momentum into the fourth, where aggressive serving and improved blocking saw them level the contest and force a decisive tie-break.

In the fifth set, Perugia regained control at the crucial moment. Strong side-out play and timely blocks helped the defending champions pull away, and they closed the match 15-10 to secure a hard-earned away victory after 141 minutes of intense volleyball.

Ben Tara was named MVP after finishing with 22 points and delivering consistently in key moments, while Solé added five blocks to anchor Perugia’s net defence. For Guaguas, Wallyson topped the scoring charts with 23 points in an outstanding individual display that underlined the hosts’ competitiveness at this level.

The win keeps Sir Sicoma Monini PERUGIA firmly on track in Pool C, while Guaguas LAS PALMAS took plenty of positives from a performance that pushed the holders to the limit in their first-ever Champions League meeting between the two sides.

Pool E: Volley Haasrode LEUVEN (BEL) vs. Cucine Lube CIVITANOVA (ITA) 0-3 (17-25, 17-25, 13-25)

Cucine Lube Civitanova (ITA) opened the new year on the international stage with a convincing straight-sets victory over Volley Haasrode Leuven (BEL) in Leg 2 of Pool E. Meeting for the first time in the Champions League and in any international competition, the Italian side confirmed their historical dominance over Belgian opponents, extending their record to 15 wins and 7 losses. Notably, the result was achieved without one of Lube’s biggest stars, Aleksandar Nikolov, who was not included in the team list for the match. The win keeps Civitanova at the top of Pool E ahead of a highly anticipated clash with Poland’s PGE Projekt Warszawa. Civitanova’s superiority was also reflected statistically, as they outperformed Leuven across all major categories, recording 34 winning spikes to 24, 11 kill blocks to 4, and 9 aces to 3.

In the opening set of the match, the Italian side established an early advantage and gradually translated it into a commanding set win. Leuven initially remained competitive, staying within reach at 6-9 and 8-12, but Lube’s superior serving pressure and efficiency in transition allowed them to stretch the lead to 12-18. Leuven briefly responded with a positive spell, narrowing the gap and showing greater aggression in defence and counterattack around the 16-12 phase, yet Lube remained composed and quickly regained control. By managing the closing points with precision and limiting unforced errors, the Italian side closed out the first set convincingly at 25-17, setting the tone for the remainder of the match.

Leuven showed better reception in this phase of the match (45% to 38% positive), but this wasn’t enough for the hosts. 

The second set opened in a balanced manner, with both teams trading points at 2-2 and 3-3, before Cucine Lube Civitanova progressively asserted control. A decisive run from 9-8 to 10-13 highlighted the Italians’ growing dominance, as Leuven began to struggle with a series of unforced errors that undermined their side-out efficiency. Lube’s depth was particularly evident in this phase, Giampaolo Medei giving extended opportunities to some non-titular players, who integrated seamlessly and maintained the team’s high performance level without disrupting rhythm or tactical clarity. Lube showed a clear advantage in reception efficiency, posting 62% positive reception compared to Leuven’s 26%, a disparity that significantly contributed to the Italians’ control and smooth development of the match.

Backed by clear statistical superiority across serving, blocking, and attack efficiency, Civitanova managed the set with composure and authority, closing it without difficulty and moving decisively closer to overall victory after 25-17. 

The third set followed a similar pattern, with little change in the overall balance of the match. Civitanova quickly built a substantial lead, pulling away to 7-14 and then extending the margin to 9-19, once again capitalising on their consistency and Leuven’s limited capacity to apply sustained pressure. With control firmly established, the Italian side dictated tempo until the end, closing the set convincingly at 25-13 and confirming their superiority throughout the encounter.

Eric Loeppky of Lube became MVP with 14 points to his name. 

Pool E: MONTPELLIER HSC VB (FRA) vs. PGE Projekt WARSZAWA (POL) 3-2 (25-21, 22-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-12)

MONTPELLIER HSC VB and PGE Projekt Warszawa produced a true volleyball spectacle in front of a sold-out crowd at the Palais des Sports Jacques Chaban Delmas. Meeting for the first time in the CEV Champions League, Wednesday’s encounter proved a fortunate one for the French side, who survived a dramatic battle to claim their first victory in Pool E.

From a statistical perspective, Montpellier held a narrow edge across all key indicators, finishing with 67 winning spikes to Warszawa’s 63, 11 kill blocks to 7, and 4 aces to 3.

The first set developed into a tightly contested point-for-point battle, with neither side able to establish a clear advantage in the early stages, as reflected by the balanced scores at 4-4 and 5-6. The deadlock persisted until 18-15, a decisive moment in which Quentin Jouffroy made a significant impact through a series of effective attacking actions and timely blocks that shifted the momentum. This phase was further reinforced by the serving pressure of Tomás López Pascual, whose consistency from the service line continued to disrupt Warszawa’s defensive organisation and limit their offensive options. The French side’s improved blocking efficiency proved to be the defining factor throughout the set, allowing them to control rallies and neutralize key attackers. Despite Warszawa’s late efforts to recover - highlighted by an ace from Kévin Tillie toward the end of the set - these actions were insufficient to overturn the advantage, and the French team ultimately closed the set in their favour.

Linus Weber of PGE Projekt Warszawa looked to set the tone early with a strong attacking display. However, Montpellier gradually took control thanks to a solid performance across all components of the game. The blocking prowess of Yuri Semeniuk lived up to expectations, as he brought his team back into contention at 13–13 and reignited the intrigue in the set. Tomas López Pascual responded in kind, also excelling at the net and helping Montpellier pull ahead at 17–14.

The visitors from Poland refused to back down, steadily closing the gap and applying pressure until the closing stages. Showing remarkable focus and composure, Weber and his teammates eventually emerged victorious in the set, sealing it 25–22.

The third set developed into a true cat-and-mouse battle, with both teams repeatedly exchanging the lead. Ultimately, Montpellier’s efficiency proved decisive. Posting an impressive 61% success rate in attack and adding three kill blocks, the hosts edged the set 27–25 to reclaim the advantage.

The fourth set delivered yet another volleyball thriller. Locked at 15–15, the Polish side demonstrated exceptional fighting spirit. Brandon Koppers stood out with several decisive actions, while Ezequiel Palacios and Vincent Mathias gave everything for Montpellier. Nevertheless, the experience of the visitors prevailed, pushing the match into a decisive tie-break.

In the final set, Mathias shone after the switch at 10 points, playing a key role in guiding his team to a memorable achievement in Pool E.

Tomas Lopez Pascual, who added 16 points, was named MVP of the game. 

Mathias finished as a top scorer with 21 points to his name.