Can Potsdam and Galatasaray avoid fourth consecutive Italian win?

The CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup Women could have an Italian champion for the fourth consecutive season, provided that Roma Volley and Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri’76 will qualify for the final, once the two away legs of the semi-finals are concluded this week.

Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri’76, winners of the competition in the 2022/23 season, are just one step away from the final, needing two sets in the semi-final against Galatasaray Daikin, when the second leg throws off on Tuesday, 18 February, at 20:00 CET.

In the first leg, played in Istanbul, Chieri dominated after conceding the first set in a hard-fought battle, 27:29, embarking on a clear domination, as they never went behind in the subsequent three sets.

Alexia Căruțașu and Katarina Lazovic each had 16 points for Galatasaray, but could not stop Avery Skinner (23 points), Anne Buijs (18 points) and Lucile Gicquel (16 points), as Chieri secured the next sets, 25:20; 25:17 and 25:17.

The Italian side, winners in the CEV Volleyball Cup Women in 2024 and the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup Women in 2023 could make a three-peat, securing their third consecutive European title, but need to qualify for the final first, which they can achieve by winning two sets against Galatasaray.

In their maiden appearance in European competitions, Roma Volley are on the cusp of clinching a berth in the final, but will need to mount a comeback on their home court on Wednesday, 19 February, at 20:00 CET, after losing their first leg of the semi-final against SC Potsdam, 2:3.

It was a hard-fought battle, which saw Roma take a 2:1 lead at sets, after conceding the first one, 21:25, but winning the next two, 25:21 and 25:19. Potsdam bounced back to secure the fourth set, 25:15, while the decider went to the German side, 15:9.

Danielle Harbin had 20 points for Potsdam, while Roma had Wilma Salas Rosell reply with 19 points, in a tough battle, which spanned for 136 minutes.

Now, Roma will need a 3:0 or 3:1 win to progress to their maiden European final, while a 3:2 win would see a golden set to decide the team which will already know its opponent in the final, as Chieri and Galatasaray play one day earlier.

All of Roma’s four home matches were won by the Italian side, three with 3:0 and one with 3:1, while Potsdam have won three of the four away matches, losing one, against Serbian side ZOK Ub, 2:3.