Allianz Vero Volley MILANO - Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL

• This will be the first meeting between Allianz Vero Volley MILANO and Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL in the CEV Champions League.
• Allianz Vero Volley MILANO have won one of their six Champions League encounters with teams from Türkiye (all vs VakifBank ISTANBUL), their 3-0 away victory over VakifBank ISTANBUL in the group stage this season.
• Allianz Vero Volley MILANO were eliminated by VakifBank ISTANBUL in the quarter-finals of last season's Champions League.
• Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL have a W6-L12 record versus Italian sides in the Champions League. They lost the 2009/10 final (as FenerbahceAcibadem ISTANBUL) versus Volley BERGAMO in their first meeting with an Italian side in the competition.
• This will be the second time Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL face an Italian side in the Champions League semi-finals, after 2018/19. They lost both legs 0-3 against Imoco Volley CONEGLIANO back then.

Allianz Vero Volley MILANO

• In their third Champions League participation, Allianz Vero Volley MILANO have reached the semi-finals for the first time. Their previous two participations, in 2021/22 and 2022/23, ended in the quarter-finals.
• Allianz Vero Volley MILANO can become the 10th Italian side to reach the Champions League final. The only other countries from which multiple teams have reached the final are Russia (4) and Türkiye (3).
• Allianz Vero Volley MILANO were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the eventual runners-up (A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO) in 2021/22 and the eventual winners (VakifBank ISTANBUL) in 2022/23.
• Allianz Vero Volley MILANO have a W10-L3 record in their last 13 Champions League matches, with all of those defeats coming against Turkish sides (all vs VakifBank ISTANBUL).
• Paola Ogechi Egonu (142) is Allianz Vero Volley MILANO's top scorer in the Champions League this season. She was the overall leading scorer in last season's Champions League with 275 points (while playing for VakifBank ISTANBUL).
• Only CS Volei Alba BLAJ's Jovana Kocic (27) has recorded more kill blocks in the Champions League main tournament this season than Dana Rettke (26).
• Marco Gaspari (Coach Allianz Vero Volley Milano): "Definitely an important match, in an tournament with clubs of the highest level and all equipped to do well. For this reason it is a joy for us to have reached this far, but we know that tomorrow we have to go down on the pitch and play with the aim of winning. Our team has been set up to compete at the highest level and we must not be satisfied with this result, even if it is of the highest order. Our opponents need no introduction, they have an important roster and like us they will want to get to the Final. It will be essential to get a good result in this first match, to better face the return at Burhan Felek Voleybol Salonu. To do this, we must resist in reception and make the most of their weak points."
• Alessia Orro (Captain Allianz Vero Volley Milano): "Tomorrow a high-level match awaits us, against an opponent who needs no introduction. We have been waiting for this match for a long time and tomorrow we will have to take the field with the best version of us. He will accompany us our audience, who will be fundamental in this battle in a match that promises to be beautiful."

Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL

• Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the eighth time in total and for the third season in a row. On both previous occasions, they were eliminated by city rivals VakifBank ISTANBUL.
• Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL can reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2011/12, when they (then named Fenerbahce Universal ISTANBUL) defeated RC CANNES 3-0.
• Fenerbahce Opet ISTANBUL have won the first set in all eight of their Champions League matches this season. They had won all six of their group stage matches without dropping a set before they eliminated Allianz MTV STUTTGART in the quarter-finals (2-3 loss, 3-1 win).
• Arina Fedorovtseva is her team's top scorer in this season's Champions League with 108 points, including 19 aces.
• Only Iris Vos (21 for Asterix Avo BEVEREN) has recorded more aces this Champions League campaign than Fedorovtseva (19).
• Fedorovtseva scored a total of 47 points in the quarter-finals, joint-most in the competition alongside A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO's Isabelle Haak (47) behind Tijana Bošković of Eczacibasi (61).
• Meliha Diken: "Vera Volley Milano team is a very good and strong team, but I think we are also well prepared. The atmosphere in the team is very good, I have full faith that we will fight until the last ball."
• Bojana Drča: "They are a successful team. There is no easy opponents at this stage of champions league. We are positive that we have prepared well for tonight’s match and we hope to get as good result as possible tonight and pull out a win. Good result tonight gives us better chances for the upcoming match on our court next week."