Galatasaray end seven-year wait for Turkish Super Cup as Stephen Maar shines against Ziraat Bankkart

Galatasaray Madeş Mobilya opened the new Turkish volleyball season with a statement victory, defeating Ziraat Bankkart 3–1 (25:22, 25:21, 19:25, 25:21) to lift the 2026 AXA Sigorta Champions Cup, Turkey’s men’s volleyball Super Cup.
The final was played at the Kırıkkale Merkez Yeni Spor Salonu, where Galatasaray secured the trophy for only the second time in the club’s history, following their first triumph in 2019.
Stephen Maar was named Most Valuable Player after leading Galatasaray with 21 points.
Efe Mandıracı added 16, while French opposite Jean Patry contributed 12. Yet the most striking individual performance came from the losing side: Nimir Abdel-Aziz delivered 30 points for Ziraat Bankkart, keeping his team in contention even as Galatasaray took control of the match.

The opening set established the intensity of the contest.
Galatasaray initially gained the upper hand through its blocking, moving ahead 6–2, but Ziraat responded during Efe Bayram’s service rotation to draw level at 6–6. The teams traded points through the middle of the set, with neither able to establish lasting control. Galatasaray eventually created the separation it needed and managed the closing exchanges more effectively, taking the opener 25–22.
The Istanbul side maintained its momentum in the second set. Galatasaray built an early advantage and continued to find solutions through Ma’a and Patry, while Ziraat struggled to close the gap. Abdel-Aziz attempted to revive the Ankara club with his powerful serve, but Galatasaray held firm and moved within one set of the trophy, winning 25–21.
Ziraat were not ready to surrender. The third set began evenly before the Ankara team found a more effective rhythm and gradually took control. Abdel-Aziz was particularly influential, scoring 10 points in the set as Ziraat improved its attacking output and prevented Galatasaray from building the same pressure seen earlier. The response was emphatic: Ziraat won 25–19 to reduce the deficit to 2–1 and bring the final back to life.
The fourth set would determine whether the comeback could continue. Ziraat initially held the advantage, but Galatasaray responded with a strong attacking spell to move in front. The match remained competitive as Abdel-Aziz continued to search for ways through the opposition defence, cutting the deficit with a service winner. This time, however, Galatasaray did not allow the set to slip away. The team maintained its composure in the decisive phase and closed out the match 25–21.

The statistical comparison reveals how narrow the margins were in attack.
Ziraat recorded 52 successful attacks from 106 attempts, while Galatasaray finished with 51 from 105 — a 49% success rate for both sides. The difference came elsewhere. Galatasaray scored 11 direct points from blocks, more than twice Ziraat’s total of five. That advantage helped the winners apply pressure even when the two teams were producing almost identical attacking numbers.
The service figures were also close. Ziraat recorded five aces to Galatasaray’s four, although the Ankara side committed 22 service errors compared with 19 for its opponents. Those numbers underline a match in which neither team dominated every phase, but Galatasaray found the more reliable balance when it mattered most.
For Maar, the MVP award capped a decisive contribution in a final that demanded both attacking quality and consistency. Mandıracı’s 16 points offered further support, while Patry provided another important scoring option.
Together, they helped Galatasaray overcome an opponent whose leading scorer produced an exceptional individual display.
For Ziraat Bankkart, Abdel-Aziz’s 30 points will offer little consolation after a defeat in which the team remained competitive but could not match Galatasaray’s effectiveness at the net. The result also gives the Istanbul club an early trophy and a boost of confidence ahead of the challenges of the new campaign.

For Efe Mandıracı, the victory carried a personal significance beyond the trophy itself. The Turkish outside hitter, who joined Galatasaray after leaving Italian club Gas Sales Bluenergy Piacenza, celebrated his first Turkish title with evident emotion.
“It’s indescribable,” he said after the match, wearing his winner’s medal. “Our fans supported us fantastically. We played beautiful team volleyball, and I would like to thank my teammates, the management and everyone who has worked alongside us. This is only the beginning; the best is yet to come. We are aiming for every trophy. We are absolutely delighted, and now we’re going to enjoy this moment.”

Jean Patry, meanwhile, revealed that he had suffered an injury during the final, making his contribution more difficult. The French opposite nevertheless remained on court and tried to help his team through the closing stages.
“I got injured during the match, so it was really difficult to stay in the game. However, I tried to do my best,” he explained. “We will assess the situation going forward, but it’s nothing too serious. Even so, playing in those conditions was definitely very difficult.”
The injury adds an important detail to Galatasaray’s victory, although Patry stressed that the situation did not appear too serious.
His condition will need to be assessed, and no further conclusion about his availability should be drawn until the club provides an update.

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