VakifBank stun Conegliano in dramatic comeback to reach another Champions League final
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For nearly two sets and three quarters, it looked like the script had already been written.
A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano, the reigning champions, the team chasing an unprecedented third consecutive European title, were in control. They had taken the first two sets with authority, dictated the pace, and stood just a handful of points away from another final.
Then the match changed.
And once it did, there was no turning back.
At the Ülker Sports and Event Hall in Istanbul, VakifBank ISTANBUL produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent Final Four history, defeating A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO 3-2 to book their place in the 2026 CEV Champions League final.
It was a semifinal that unfolded in two distinct acts.
The first belonged entirely to Conegliano.
The Italian side looked every bit the defending champion. Their attack flowed through Gabriela Guimarães, Isabelle Haak and Zhu Ting, while their block-defence system disrupted VakifBank’s rhythm. They claimed the opening set 25-22 and then widened the gap in the second, cruising to a 25-18 finish that left the Turkish side searching for answers.
At 22-18 in the third set, Conegliano were within touching distance of the final.
What followed became the turning point of the tournament.
VakifBank refused to let the match end quietly. Point by point, they chipped away at the deficit. And they managed to steal the set 29-27.
It was the opening they had been waiting for.
Head coach Giovanni Guidetti later described it simply:
“They had the match in their hand, but we didn’t give up. We kept believing. They gave us one chance, probably for the whole match, and we used it.”
That chance transformed everything.
From that moment on, VakifBank played with a different energy, sharper in defence, more aggressive in transition, and increasingly confident in attack. The fourth set followed the same pattern: long rallies, narrow margins, and VakifBank edging ahead at the decisive moments to close it 25-23.
What had seemed straightforward suddenly became a battle of nerves.
And in the tie-break, VakifBank were the steadier side.
Led by Tijana Bošković and Marina Markova, they established early control and never surrendered it. Bošković delivered 34 points, the highest total of the match, while Markova added 31 in a relentless offensive display.
Together, they carried VakifBank through the decisive moments.
Conegliano, by contrast, could not rediscover the composure that had defined their first two sets. Despite 20 points each from Guimarães and Haak, and another 17 from Zhu, the Italian side struggled to recover once momentum slipped away.
Their head coach, Daniele Santarelli, pointed directly to the third set as the moment the match turned.
“We were so perfect until 22-18 of the third set, and then another match started.”
That assessment was hard to dispute.
Until then, Conegliano had looked almost untouchable. After it, VakifBank looked inevitable.
The victory also added another layer to a rivalry that has come to define the modern Champions League era. These two clubs had split their previous six meetings evenly, and once again their contest delivered drama worthy of the occasion.
Historically, VakifBank have built a reputation for surviving under pressure. Before this semifinal, they already held the record for the most Champions League wins after trailing 0-2 in sets. Now they have added another to that list, and perhaps their most significant one yet.
Captain Zehra Güneş summed up the mindset that carried them through.
“We know how to play the game when it all comes to this. It is familiar to us.”
That familiarity showed.
Because this was more than a comeback, it was a reminder of who VakifBank is at this stage.
With the win, they advance to their record-extending 10th Champions League final, all under Guidetti, and move one step closer to a seventh European crown.
For Conegliano, the dream of a third consecutive title ends in Istanbul.
For VakifBank, the story continues.
And after a night that turned from near-elimination into triumph, they now stand one victory away from adding another chapter to their legacy.
