VakifBank ISTANBUL book #CLVolleyW Final Four spot after thrilling win over Milano
Recap
Six-time European champions VakifBank ISTANBUL are heading back to the Final Four on home soil after edging Numia Vero Volley MILANO in a dramatic five-set battle to close their quarterfinal series of the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026.
Playing in front of 2,850 fans at the VakifBank Spor Sarayı, the Turkish side delivered under pressure to secure a 3-2 victory and confirm their place among Europe’s elite.
VakifBank started strong by taking the opening set, but Milano responded immediately to level the match and then found themselves chasing again as the hosts regained control in the third. Refusing to back down, the Italian side pushed the contest to a tie-break after a tense fourth set, setting the stage for a decisive finish.
In the fifth set, VakifBank showed their trademark composure in key moments, pulling away late to seal the victory and spark celebrations in Istanbul.
Marina Markova led the scoring for the hosts with 23 points, matching the tally of Milano’s Paola Egonu, while MVP Tijana Boskovic added 17 points and played a crucial role in the decisive phases of the match. VakifBank’s strength at the net proved decisive, with Markova also leading the blocking effort with six kill blocks.
Tijana Boskovic"We are all very happy, so you could see how we celebrated after the last point. I'm super proud of the team. It was not an easy game at all. We knew that Milano would push a lot, and they are a great team with excellent players. But we're also an amazing team, and in critical moments, we find ways to stay good and stable. Now we know we will play in the Final Four, and of course, we have to compete in the Turkish group, then the Turkish league, and finally, the Champions League."
Player of VakifBank
Giovanni Guidetti“I want to thank my team because they never give up. They believed in this team. They're believing in our process. And today we played against a great team with an amazing middle blocker, and we stayed in the match, then took the win, even though it was not our best day. So I just want to thank them. This is another great page in the VakifBank history.”
Head Coach of VakifBank
Hena Kurtagic“It was a tough game. We gave our best, but VakifBank just proved to be better than us. I wish to congratulate VakifBank on their success as well as my own team. We fought until the end and we gave everything we had.”
Middle blocker of Numia Vero Volley MILANO
Stefano Lavarini“It was a big fight, just like we expected it would be. I am proud of how we fought against VakifBank in this quarterfinal, and at the end, we were very, very close. So, congratulations to VakifBank, who had just a little bit more left in the tank than us. We could not win and it did not turn out like we wanted, but there is something we could have done better in some moments. There will be time to think about that.”
Head coach of Numia Vero Volley MILANO
With this result and their victory no. 180 in the history of the competition, VakifBank returns to the Final Four once again and will now look to add another chapter to their already illustrious history in Europe’s premier club competition, this time in front of their home crowd in Istanbul.