In a thrilling culmination of the CEV Golden European League Final Four, Turkey emerged victorious in Zadar, Croatia. They first overcame a fierce challenge from the Czech Republic in the semi-finals, pulling out a tight 3-2 victory, then proceeded to outmatch Ukraine in a dramatic five-set final.
Despite faltering in the opening set of the final match, losing 14-25 to Ukraine, Turkey managed to regroup and change their fortunes. This turnaround came through a strategic substitution by head coach Alberto Giuliani, bringing on Kaan Gürbüz to replace an underperforming Adis Lagumdzija.
Gürbüz didn’t disappoint, racking up 19 points at an impressive 57% attack success rate. His exceptional performance earned him the title of MVP of the final. Efe Bayram also had a significant contribution to the Turkish victory, scoring 15 points. For Ukraine, star player Oleh Plotnytskyi was the match’s top scorer with 20 points, with solid support from Illia Kovalov, who added 17 points.
This championship win marks Turkey’s third Golden European League victory in just five years, with previous wins in 2019 and 2021. They join the ranks of other nations that have claimed this honor, including the Czech Republic, Russia, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Montenegro, Slovenia, Estonia, and Ukraine.
In the battle for the third spot, the host nation, Croatia, clinched a definitive 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-20) victory over the Czech Republic, taking home the bronze.
Match for 3rd Place
Croatia vs Czech Republic 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-20)
Final Match
Turkey vs Ukraine 3-2 (14-25, 25-22, 26-24, 22-25, 15-6)
