Redazione Volleyball.it
7 April 2026
Finals and international matches
Sultanlar Ligi (Turkey) – Game 1 of the women’s final – VakıfBank Istanbul clearly defeated Fenerbahçe Opet 3‑0 (26‑24, 25‑19, 25‑23) in the opening of the title series. Tijana Bošković (21 points) and Emiliya Markova (12) led the defending champions, who were more effective at blocking and in reducing errors. Arina Fedorovtseva (21 points) stood out for the “Yellow Canaries,” but Zoran Terzić’s team committed too many faults and service errors. The series continues with game 2 in Istanbul.
AXA Sigorta Men’s Cup (Turkey) – Ziraat Bankkart Ankara and Galatasaray Istanbul will play the Cup final thanks to their semifinal victories. Galatasaray eliminated Fenerbahçe 3‑1 with 20 points from French opposite Jean Patry, well supported by Maar and Jaeschke, while Ziraat beat İstanbul Gençlik 3‑1 by managing the end of sets better. The final was scheduled for the evening of 7 April.
PlusLiga (Poland) – quarterfinals – Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie tied the series 1‑1 against ZAKSA Kędzierzyn‑Koźle thanks to a 3‑1 away win. Garrett Muagututia (20 points), Thibault Rossard (18) and MVP Trevor Kwolek (18) led Zawiercie, while ZAKSA responded with 16 points each from Lukasz Rychlicki and David Szymanski. The decisive game 3 was scheduled in Sosnowiec on 9 April.
V‑League (South Korea) – men’s final – Hyundai Capital Skywalkers reopened the championship series by beating Korean Air Jumbos 3‑0 in game 3. Cuban‑naturalised opposite Leonardo Leyva Martinez (23 points) and setter Heo Soo‑Bong (17) propelled the Incheon side. The series now has Korean Air ahead 2‑1 with game 4 set for 8 April.
Cornacchia World Cup Under 17 – In Pordenone, the Russian U17 national team, returning to competition after the international embargo, won the tournament by beating Argentario Trento 3‑0 in the final. The Russians dominated all the matches and celebrated with their flag and anthem, marking their official return to the international scene. MVP Marina Kuzmina highlighted her pride in representing her country again; the board lists the detailed scores of the matches (for example, 3‑0 against Argentario and Giorgione).
Italian competitions and market
Serie A1 Tigotà – Women’s Playoff Challenge – On the last day of Group B on 7 April, Volleyball.it previewed the advance match between Omag‑MT San Giovanni in Marignano and Volley Bergamo. The match, with no impact on the standings, was scheduled for 8 April at 20:00. Bergamo was favoured thanks to the seasonal head‑to‑head record (two wins out of three), and technical director Matteo Bertini emphasized the goal of finishing the season well with a solid performance.
Women’s transfer market – Messina – Akademia Sant’Anna Messina announced the hiring of coach Leonardo Barbieri for the 2026/27 season. Barbieri, born in 1967, boasts more than 20 years of career and a record of four promotions from Serie A2 to A1 and a victory in an Italian Cup for the division. In recent years he has coached Talmassons (safe in A1 in 2024), Baronissi and Offanengo; he now faces a new challenge in Sicily.
“After Hours” – interview with Lucio Fusaro – In the in‑depth program, Allianz Milano president Lucio Fusaro revisited the triumph in the CEV Challenge Cup and the season’s progress. He explained that focusing on Europe came after a series of injuries and that the club promoted many young players (citing Ferre Reggers and Ichino). Fusaro also confirmed the end of the cycle with coach Roberto Piazza and the arrival of Guillermo Falasca, criticizing the social security costs in the Italian league compared to those of the Turkish Super League. In the same episode, Ukrainian player Oleh Plotnytskyi announced his return to the national team; players Marco Vitelli and Fabio Balaso commented on the semifinals, stressing the importance of serving continuity for the Lube.
Piacenza – ticket presale – Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza reported that presales for game 2 of the championship semifinal against Sir Safety Perugia (scheduled for 9 April) were progressing rapidly. The game marks the twenty‑first meeting between the two sides, with Perugia leading the series 18‑2. The club listed prices for various sections (from €20 to €150) and concessions for under‑21s, over‑70s, students and sports clubs.
8 April 2026
Super League and men’s playoffs
Super League championship semifinals – Cucine Lube Civitanova tied the series with Rana Verona by winning game 2, 3‑1 at the Eurosuole Forum: 26‑24, 25‑21, 21‑25, 25‑22. Bulgarian hitter Aleksandar Nikolov (18 points, MVP), together with Bottolo and opposite Loeppky, led the Marche side. Verona responded with Yuki Ishikawa and Noumory Keita (16 points) but paid for 28 service errors. Lube dominated at the net (13 blocks to 10) and took the series to 1‑1; game 3 was scheduled for 11 April. A separate article provided set‑by‑set statistics: Civitanova ended with 41 % attacking and 13 blocks, while Verona converted 49 % with 10 blocks. Nikolov scored 18 points, Keita 16, Bottolo 12, Loeppky 11 and middle blockers Gargiulo and Nedeljkovic 10 each.
Playoffs for 5th place – In the playoffs for 5th place, Vero Volley Monza conquered Sonepar Padova 3‑0, qualifying for the semifinal. Opposite Diego Frascio scored 19 points with 79 % attack efficiency; Monza dominated the blocking (9 to 2) and closed the match in 75 minutes. Allianz Milano defeated Cisterna Volley 3‑1 (25‑22, 25‑17, 23‑25, 25‑20) in 134 minutes: Ferre Reggers tallied 23 points for Milano, while Bayram (19) and Baranowicz (4 aces) kept Cisterna in the match. With these victories, Monza and Milano join Piacenza and Modena in the semifinals of the tournament that awards a Challenge Cup place.
Cups and international tournaments
CEV Cup women’s final – Galatasaray Daikin Istanbul won the CEV Cup by defeating Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri ’76 3‑1 in the return match (25‑27, 25‑22, 25‑18, 25‑18). After winning 3‑2 in the first leg, the Turkish side controlled the game thanks to 19 points from hitter Melis Aydin, 15 from Polish opposite Magdalena Stysiak (Carutasu) and 14 from Italian winger Miriam Sylla. Chieri fought hard with Slovakian Fruzsina Németh (16 points) and opposite Neriman Özsoy (Nervini) 15, but couldn’t extend the series. It is Galatasaray’s first European title after three lost finals; for Sylla and coach Alberto Bigarelli it is their first trophy in Turkey.
Women’s national team training camp – The FIPAV called a mini‑camp at the Centro Pavesi in Milan from 8 to 10 April for six players: setter Carlotta Cambi (Novara), attackers Giorgia Frosini and Francesca Scola, libero Islam Gannar (Talmassons), hitter Beatrice Gardini (Perugia) and libero Ilenia Moro (Monviso). The aim is to continue integrating young Serie A players into the national squad.
European Under 18 Championships – The CEV drew the groups for the 2026 U18 European Championships. Italy’s women will be in Pool I with Latvia, Poland, Turkey, Belgium, Spain, the Czech Republic and Iceland; the tournament will take place from 1 to 12 July in Riga and Šiauliai. The men’s event will be held in Italy (Porto San Giorgio and Cisterna di Latina) from 7 to 18 July: the Italian boys will face Poland, Slovenia, Finland, Greece, Turkey, Serbia and Iceland. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the semifinals; six places for the U19 World Championships 2027 are also at stake.
News and market
Super League quarterfinal MVP – Turkish hitter Efe Mandiraci (Gas Sales Piacenza) was named MVP of the quarterfinals thanks to 102 points scored in five matches against Modena (82 in attack, 5 blocks and 17 aces). He will receive the award before game 2 of the semifinal against Perugia.
Britt Herbots’ contract renewal – Belgian outside hitter Britt Herbots renewed her contract with Igor Gorgonzola Novara until 2028. The club praised her versatility, ability to cover various attacking roles and her leadership qualities, which have made her a key figure in the team.
