Luxembourg, March 22, 2018. Challengers Volero ZÜRICH have their work cut out for them when they are facing reigning champions VakifBank ISTANBUL tonight. In the last two Playoffs 6 meetings between these two teams, the Swiss champions were unable to upset the three-time CEV Volleyball Champions League winners. The match-up features two former head coaches of the Netherlands up against each other. Giovanni Guidetti (2015-2016) faces his predecessor Avital Selinger (2004-2011). The match will start at 20.00 CET in Switzerland.

Volero ZÜRICH (SUI) vs. VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR)

•    It is the third time in a row that VakifBank ISTANBUL and Volero ZÜRICH are going to lock horns in the #CLVolleyW Playoffs 6. Giovanni Guidetti’s squad won the last two series. Last year the eventual #CLVolleyW champions defeated the multiple Swiss titleholders 3-1 in both matches. 
•    Volero ZÜRICH are poised to break the spell and finally make the #CLVolleyW Final Four after having been eliminated four times in a row in the Playoffs 6 (three times against the eventual #CLVolleyW champions). It would be the second time in history that Volero ZÜRICH features amongst the four top clubs in Europe. 
•    All eyes will be on VakifBank ISTANBUL top scorers Lonneke Slöetjes from the Netherlands and Olympic gold medallist Zhu Ting from China. Slöetjes was able to make the difference in the last #CLVolleyW game in Zurich with an impressive tally of 28 points, while Ting was the leading scorer of the return match on the Bosphorus.
•     The last time the multiple Swiss champions defeated the reigning FIVB Volleyball Club World Champions and #CLVolleyW champions was in the group stage of the FIVB Volleyball World Championship in Manila in 2016. The last three encounters all went in favour of the team from the Turkish megalopolis.
•    VakifBank ISTANBUL keep the Saalsporthalle in Zurich in good memories as the top squad from Istanbul claimed the first-ever FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship crown in their history at that same venue back in 2013.



Alexandra Lazic, outside hitter of Volero ZÜRICH: “Of course we are excited to face such a strong and star-studded team. I think VakifBank ISTANBUL will be the strongest opponent we have faced in this #CLVolleyW season up until now. That is why we are poised to play our best Volleyball. In my opinion, it does not matter if you play the first or the second game at home, but I am really looking forward to fighting in front of our home crowd. I am convinced our serving game will be a key factor in this match. We have to keep VakifBank ISTANBUL away from the net and slow their passing game down by putting a lot of pressure on them with strong serves.”

VakifBank ISTANBUL coach Giovanni Guidetti: “It is always nice to come back to Zurich. It is the third year in a row we face Volero ZÜRICH in the Playoffs 6 of the #CLVolleyW and we celebrated one of the biggest achievements in the history of our club here. Nevertheless, I think the situation is quite different this time. Volero ZÜRICH have got a young and very ambitious squad this season that does not feel any pressure. As we know from the past, we have to fight very hard and give 100% in every single rally of the game against such aspiring teams. I always enjoy facing teams that are under the lead of Avital Selinger. In my opinion, he is one of the biggest names in Volleyball. Nonetheless, we want to live up to the success of the last years.”

How to follow the match...

Watch it live on Laola1.tv: http://bit.ly/CLW_ZRH-VBI

Live score, statistics, reports and photos: all available on www.cev.lu

Social Media: Follow via the official event hashtag (#CLVolleyW) with the most regular updates coming on our competition Twitter account @CEVolleyballCL