Challenge Cup: other six teams progress to 1/8 finals, Golden Set for Benfica

After a short holiday pause, 1/16 finals of 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup continued today with other six verdicts, after Romania’s SCM Zalau, that eliminated Montenegro’s Budva, and Ukraine’s Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok.
All easy for Serbia’s Crvena Zvezda Beograd, which destroyed Mladost Zagreb 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:23) after a tie break win in Croatia in first leg, with 18 points from Alija Bekric (67% in attack, 3 aces and 1 block).
All easy also for Italy’s Allianz Milano, who destroyed again Macedonia’s UGD Stip also at home, 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:17). After just 67 minutes of play, young Tommaso Ichino earned MVP honors with 13 points including 2 winning blocks, 1 ace and 71% in attack.
Straight sets win also for Spain’s Conqueridor Valencia over Fino Kaposvar from Hungary, 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:21),
after losing at tie break in first leg. Rodrigo Melo and Javier Monfort led the charge with 18 and 16 points, respectively.
Another team that reversed their path is France’s Chaumont who, after losing at tie break in Greece in first leg and parting ways with head coach Silvano Prandi, destroyed Foinikas Syros by 3-0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:19) with 9 aces and 18 points from Pierre Toledo.
Also Norwid Czestochowa, despite a bad campaign so far in Polish Plusliga, progressed to next stage of the competition after eliminating OK i-Vent Maribor from Slovenia winning the game 3-1 (24:26, 25:16, 25:17, 25:17) and, after losing first leg in Romania, Sport Lisboa e Benfica from Portugal down C.S. Arcada Galati 3-1 (25:22, 19:25, 26:24, 25:20), winning also Golden Set 15-13.

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🏆| 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup | 1/16 Finals

FIRST LEG

Tuesday December 9, 2025
📍Ministry of Emergency Situations Gym Baku
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) – Lindemans Aalst (BEL) 0-3 (17:25, 22:25, 23:25)
📍Kaposvár Arena
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Fino Kaposvar (HUN) – Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) 3-2 (25:23, 19:25, 25:17, 18:25, 15:10)
📍Sala Sporturilor “Gheorghe Tadici” Zalau
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Budva (MNE) – SCM Zalau (ROU) 0-3 (19:25, 15:25, 21:25)
📍Afrodite Pafos
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Pafiakos Pafos (CYP) – PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 1-3 (25:21, 23:25, 21:25, 17:25)
📍Dimitros Vikelas Halla Syros
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Foinikas Syros (GRE) – Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) 3-2 (25:23, 21:25, 25:20, 21:25, 16:14)

Wednesday December 10, 2025
📍OS Karađorđe Topola
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) – Karađorđe Topola (SRB) 3-1 (25:22, 25:21, 23:25, 25:20)
📍Sport Hall Gopass Arena Bratislava
• 19.00 (Local Time) | VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) – Prima Donna Kaas Huizen (NED) 3-0 (25:20, 25:23, 25:18)
📍Sports Hall University of Tartu
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Bigbank Tartu (EST) – WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) 3-1 (24:26, 25:17, 25:14, 26:24)
📍Dvorana Tabor Maribor
• 19.00 (Local Time) | OK i-Vent Maribor (SLO) – Norwid Czestochowa (POL) 1-3 (21:25, 26:24, 13:25, 15:25)
📍SRC 25 Maj Radovis
• 19.30 (Local Time) | UGD Stip Stip (MKD) – Allianz Milano (ITA) 0-3 (12:25, 14:25, 20:25)
📍University Sports Hall SOS II / Dorigny Lausanne
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Lausanne UC (SUI) – Dukla Liberec (CZE) 0-3 (21:25, 17:25, 16:25)
📍Sporthal De Basis Sliedrecht
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sliedrecht Sport (NED) – Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) 1-3 (22:25, 25:23, 19:25, 20:25)

Thursday December 11, 2025
📍SH Sokol Brno I
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Volejbal Brno (CZE) – Volley Näfels (SUI) 0-3 (21:25, 23:25, 18:25)
📍Sports Hall Galati
• 20.00 (Local Time) | C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) – Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 3-1 (23:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:20)
📍Dom Odbojke Bojan Stranic Zagreb
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Mladost Zagreb (CRO) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) 2-3 (25:15, 19:25, 21:25, 25:19)

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SECOND LEG

Wednesday December 10, 2025
📍Sala Sporturilor “Gheorghe Tadici” Zalau
• 19.00 (Local Time) | SCM Zalau (ROU) – Budva (MNE) 3-0 (25:16, 25:18, 25:21)

Thursday December 11, 2025
📍OS Karađorđe Topola
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Karađorđe Topola (SRB) – Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) 0-3 (16:25, 14:25, 23:25)

👉🏼Tuesday January 6, 2026
📍Ustanova Sportski Centar “Voždovac” Belgrade
• 17.30 (Local Time) | Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:23)
📍Centro Pavesi Milano
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Allianz Milano (ITA) – UGD Stip (MKD) 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:17)
📍Polideportivo Nou Moles Valencia
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) – Fino Kaposvar (HUN) 3-0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:21)
📍HSC Czestochowa
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Norwid Czestochowa (POL) – OK i-Vent Maribor (SLO) 3-1 (24:26, 25:16, 25:17, 25:17)
📍Sports Hall Benfica Lisboa – Pavilhão n.º2
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) – C.S. Arcada Galati (ROU) 3-1 (25:22, 19:25, 26:24, 25:20) GOLDEN SET: 15-13
📍Palestra Chaumont
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) – Foinikas Syros (GRE) 3-0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:19)

Wednesday January 7, 2026
📍Atatürk Voleybol Salonu Izmir
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) – Sliedrecht Sport (NED) 3-0 (25:15, 25:21, 25:21)
📍Linth Arena Näfels
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Volley Näfels (SUI) – Volejbal Brno (CZE) 3-0 (25:18, 25:19, 25:22)
📍Wolfskamer Huizen
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Prima Donna Kaas Huizen (NED) – VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 3-1 (16:25, 25:15, 25:23, 25:18) GOLDEN SET: 10-15
📍“Boycho Branzov” Sports Hall Burgas
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Neftohimik Burgas (BUL) – Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) 1-3 (22:25, 22:25, 25:21, 23:25)
📍“Sportcentrum Schotte Aalst
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Lindemans Aalst (BEL) – Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) 3-1 (21:25, 25:15, 25:19, 25:22)

Thursday January 8, 2026
📍Dukla Liberec
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Dukla Liberec (CZE) – Lausanne UC (SUI) 3-1 (21:25, 25:23, 25:22, 25:13)
📍PAOK Palace Sport Thessaloniki
• 18.30 (Local Time) | PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – Pafiakos Pafos (CYP) 3-0 (25:22, 25:17, 25:23)
📍BMW Park München
• 20.00 (Local Time) | WWK Volleys Herrsching (GER) – Bigbank Tartu (EST) 3-0 (25:17, 25:22, 30:28) GOLDEN SET: 12-15

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