Challenge Cup: Lindemans Aalst and Allianz Milano win first leg of semifinals!

Semifinals of 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup started today with first leg games, in which Lindemans Aalst from Belgium and Italy’s Allianz Milano emerged victorious.
The first one celebrated a hard-fought 2-3 (11:25, 44:42, 29:31, 25:14, 13:15) success on the field of VK Slovan Bratislava, after as many as 173 minutes of play!
To make the difference an impressive performance in blocking and serving, scoring as many as 24 winning blocks (10 only from Beau Wortelboer and 5 from Simon Vlahovic), and 14 aces, 9 with the signature of Camden Gianni, who finished the game with 32 points through 44% in attack and 4 blocks too. Nuno Marquez and Henrique Rempel also contributed with 20 each, while Michal Trubac top-scored Bratislava with 27 points.
Something different happened in Milano, where the hosts sweep Altekma SK Izmir in just three sets, 3-0 (25:21, 32:30, 25:18), with an impressive performance from MVP Ferre Reggers.
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
Belgian opposite left the court with 28 points through 60% in attack and 2 blocks (15 only in second set!), while
Tatsunori Otsuka added 14.
Milano, however, suffered the injury of Francesco Recine who, in third set, left the court due an ankle injury.
Second leg in Türkiye next Thursday and Milano needed just two sets to progress to final.

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🏆| 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup | Semifinals

FIRST LEG

👉🏼Wednesday March 4, 2026
📍Sport Hall Gopass Arena Bratislava
• 19.00 (Local Time) | VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) – Lindemans Aalst (BEL) 2-3 (11:25, 44:42, 29:31, 25:14, 13:15)
📍Allianz Cloud Milano
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Allianz Milano (ITA) – Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) 3-0 (25:21, 32:30, 25:18)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

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SECOND LEG

Wednesday March 11, 2026
📍Sportcentrum Schotte Aalst
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Lindemans Aalst (BEL) – VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 3-2 (25:20, 25:19, 22:25, 15:25, 15:13)

Thursday March 12, 2026
📍Atatürk Voleybol Salonu Izmir
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) – Allianz Milano (ITA) 1-3 (21:25, 23:25, 25:16, 26:28)

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