Guidetti leads VakifBank to seventh European title

VakifBank secured its seventh European title in Istanbul on May 3, 2026, by defeating Eczacibasi 3-1. The match at Ulker Sports and Event Hall, held before 13,500 spectators, saw Tijana Boskovic score 33 points, with 31 of those coming from successful attacks. Marina Markova made a major attacking contribution, adding 26 points during the final. The set scores for the victory were 25-20, 25-21, 21-25, and 25-18. For Eczacibasi, Gabi and Isabelle Haak scored 20 points each, while Zhu Ting contributed 17 points. This result followed a difficult semifinal against Conegliano where VakifBank recovered from losing the first two sets, 22-25 and 18-25, to win 3-2. In that match, the team overturned a deficit in the third set to win 29-27, then won the fourth 25-23 to force the decider. Boskovic scored 34 points in that semifinal, while Markova contributed 31. The club demonstrated a capacity to recover, winning three matches after falling two sets behind during this specific European campaign. However, the team struggled during the opening sets of the semifinal, losing 22-25 and 18-25, which nearly ended their European campaign before the final. Boskovic finished the entire European campaign with 217 points, placing her third among the competition’s scorers.

Eczacibasi reached the final after a five-set battle against Scandicci on May 2, 2026. They won the deciding set 15-8 after losing the opening set 20-25. Magdalena Stysiak scored 30 points for Eczacibasi, while Ebrar Karakurt added 18 points and Sinead Jack-Kisal contributed 13. Ekaterina Antropova scored 34 points for Scandicci, the highest individual total in that match. Eczacibasi won the next two sets 25-20 and 25-17 to take control after the opening loss, though Scandicci won the fourth set 25-21. This collective performance secured their place in the final despite the fluctuating momentum of their semifinal performance.

The competition format for the 2026 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship divides eight teams into two single round-robin pools of four. The two pool winners and the two pool runners-up advance to the semifinals. In these semifinals, the Pool A winner meets the Pool B runner-up, and the Pool B winner meets the Pool A runner-up. The remaining four teams from the first stage are eliminated from further participation in the championship.

Giovanni Guidetti has directed VakifBank since 2008, leading the club to seven Champions League trophies and four FIVB Women’s Club World Championship titles. His tenure includes seven national victories in the Turkish league. While rumors circulate about player departures, such as Sinead Jack-Kisal potentially moving to Fenerbahce, the core of the team remains stable under his long-term leadership. Guidetti also accepted the head coach role for the Canadian women’s national team in 2025. The appointment follows Canada’s recent eighth-place finish in the FIVB World Rankings, their ninth-place finish in the 2024 Volleyball Nations League, and their tenth-place finish in the 2022 FIVB World Championship. Shannon Winzer, the previous Canadian coach, moved to the High Performance Director position. You should note that the winners of the semifinals move to the gold medal match. Boskovic finished the tournament with 217 points, placing her third among the competition’s scorers. Guidetti’s international coaching career includes Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkiye, and Serbia. He earned three medals in the VNL during his tenure with the Turkish national team. Will the demands of coaching Canada interfere with Guidetti’s continued dominance in the Turkish league?