VC WIESBADEN ready for ‘big match’ with Galatasaray
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Different country, different time zone: when the players of VC WIESBADEN will be landing at Istanbul airport on Wednesday evening, all clocks will quickly have to be set forward by two hours. The kick-off for the match between Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL and VC WIESBADEN in the CEV Challenge Cup is set for Thursday, November 30, at 20:30 local time. The venue is the impressive Burhan Felek Voleybol Salonu, which is regularly used by several Istanbul volleyball clubs, including Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe.
Benedikt Frank“We are coming up against a different playing culture, which is a new experience for us. It will be important that we bring our system onto the court early on. We need to find clever solutions against an extremely strong attacking team with lots of tall athletes. We know what we can rely on, but it is also clear that we will have to put in our best performance in Istanbul to stand a chance in the return match at home.”
Head coach of VC WIESBADEN
The complex in the Üsküdar district, which opened in 2010, has a capacity of about 7,000 spectators. Many shall come together this Thursday since the men’s team of Galatasaray HDI will play against Greece’s AOP Kifisias ATHENS in the CEV Challenge Cup before the women’s matchup. Benedikt Frank’s team is likely to be presented with a very special backdrop at one of the most renowned clubs in the world founded in 1905 with their figureheads competing in soccer and basketball. The volleyball section was founded in 1922. Over decades, the Yellow-and-Reds have won several women’s titles, even internationally, although they are yet to claim the Turkish national league.
About Galatasaray
The Germans from Wiesbaden will face an old acquaintance at the Bosporus: Galatasaray’s head coach Guillermo Naranjo Hernández coached SC POTSDAM, one of their opponents in the Bundesliga, from 2018 to the summer of 2023. From 2013 to 2017, the Spaniard was in charge at Allianz MTV STUTTGART. The 46-year-old is currently also the head coach of Team Romania and has also been in charge of the Greek women’s national team (from 2018 to 2021). Galatasaray is financially supported by Daikin, a Japanese industrial group (including air conditioning systems and chemicals), which was already on board from 2012 to 2016.
While VC WIESBADEN – after a bye – reached the 8th Finals after two 3-1 victories against Bevo Rekkenshop ROESELARE (Belgium), the Turkish side did not concede a single set against Kairos PONTA DELGADA (Portugal) and HÄMEENLINNA LR (Finland). In the domestic Sultanlar Ligi (Sultans League, featuring 14 teams), the Yellow-and-Reds most recently won 3-1 against the tale light ANKARA Karayollari on November 25, as expected. Even though Guillermo Hernandez’s team is currently only tenth in the standing, VC WIESBADEN remains the underdog. “The level of the Turkish league is higher than that of the German Bundesliga. The country lives this sport with passion and there is naturally much greater support, especially due to strong sponsors,” emphasises VC WIESBADEN Managing Director Christopher Fetting.
Galatasaray’s players
The captain of the Turkish club is libero Bihter Dumanoğlu Yarkin (28 years old, 1.75 meters). Like most of her Turkish teammates, the international has so far played only in her home country. Kanami Tashiro (Japan, 2021/2022 best setter in French Ligue A), Danille Cuttino (USA, diagonal, 1.95 meters), Logan Eggleston (USA, outside hitter) and Heather Gneiting (USA, middle blocker, 1.98 meters) all come from abroad. Like Kanami Tashiro, most of the Galatasaray athletes have won multiple awards in a variety of competitions.
Milana Božić, setter of VC WIESBADEN: “The match in Istanbul is a special event in one of the most beautiful halls I have ever seen. You also see a lot of businesspeople and elegantly dressed people in the stands. Turkish Volleyball is one of the best in the world and we now have the opportunity to play against one of the big clubs. We have nothing to lose in a match like this, we will leave our hearts on the court. The Galatasaray women are much taller than us, but that should not limit us mentally. We also train for special moments like this. Our latest Bundesliga victory against USC MÜNSTER with the mega exciting fourth set gave us an extra boost.”