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The second qualifying round of the 2026/27 CEV XTB Champions League Volley delivered a memorable European night on November 11, as Khilasedichi Baku and Mladost Zagreb secured their places in the final qualifying round.
One tie was decided by the narrowest possible margin in a Golden Set, while the other saw the Croatian champions complete their mission in Bulgaria after building a valuable advantage at home.
In Lisbon, Khilasedichi Baku produced a remarkable result against Sporting CP, winning the return leg 3-2 before prevailing in the Golden Set to eliminate the Portuguese side. Sporting had entered the match with an advantage after winning the first leg in Azerbaijan 3-2 on November 3, but the new Champions League qualification format meant that the number of match victories, rather than the aggregate set score, would determine the outcome.
The return match at Pavilhão João Rocha was a rollercoaster. Sporting started strongly, taking the opening set 25-21, but Baku responded with an 18-25 win in the second. The Portuguese team regained the lead with a 25-22 third-set victory, only for the visitors to force a deciding fifth set by winning the fourth 21-25. Baku then edged the tie-break 13-15, securing the match victory and bringing the qualification battle to the Golden Set.
The decisive set was just as tense. With both teams fighting for their European future, Khilasedichi Baku held their nerve to win 13-15 once again, completing a stunning elimination of Sporting CP. The Azerbaijani club therefore advances to the third and final qualifying round, while Sporting’s Champions League campaign comes to an end.
Cuban opposite Jorge Luis Alayo was the outstanding scorer for Sporting, finishing the return match with 31 points, an impressive individual performance that nevertheless could not prevent his team’s elimination. In the first leg, Luis Enrique Reyes Rodríguez had been Khilasedichi Baku’s leading scorer with 23 points, while Alayo had contributed 19 for Sporting.
The match was played behind closed doors due to the severe weather conditions and the alert associated with Storm Charles. The empty stands at Pavilhão João Rocha provided an unusual setting for such a high-stakes European encounter, and Sporting head coach João Coelho later acknowledged the difficulty of playing without the support of the home crowd. Baku, however, capitalised on the opportunity, particularly with its serving, to secure a historic qualification.
Sporting will now continue its European campaign in the CEV Cup, where it is set to face German side VfB Friedrichshafen. For Khilasedichi Baku, the victory represents a major milestone in its Champions League debut and sets up another decisive challenge on the road to the group stage.
In Sofia, meanwhile, Mladost Zagreb completed its qualification with a straight-set victory over Levski Sofia. After winning the first leg 3-1 at home on November 4, the Croatian champions travelled to Bulgaria with a valuable advantage. They confirmed their progression with a 25:20, 27:25, 25:21 win, taking the tie with two victories across the two matches.
Levski showed determination, particularly in the second set, when the Bulgarian side built a 22-17 lead and appeared close to forcing a more complicated match. Mladost, however, produced a strong comeback, saving the situation and winning 27-25. That turnaround proved decisive, as the visitors maintained control in the third set and closed out the match at 25-21.
Ivan Željković was Mladost’s leading scorer with 14 points, while Leo Andrić and Jan Pokeršnik each added 13. Stipe Perić contributed 10 points, including three blocks, and was named Most Valuable Player of the match for his influential performance at the net. On the Levski side, Kristiyan Titriyski finished as the team’s top scorer with 14 points, while captain Todor Skrimov added 13.
Mladost had already demonstrated its quality in the first leg in Zagreb, where middle blocker Sven Jakopec was named MVP after scoring 16 points, including seven blocks. Levski’s Titriyski had been the top scorer of that match with 25 points, underlining the attacking threat the Bulgarian side brought into the return leg. Ultimately, however, Mladost’s consistency across both matches proved decisive.
The Croatian champions now advance to the third qualifying round, keeping alive their ambition of returning to the Champions League group stage for the first time in 27 years. Levski Sofia, meanwhile, will continue its European season in the CEV Cup, where it is scheduled to face Swiss side Volley Schönenwerd.
With Khilasedichi Baku and Mladost Zagreb both advancing, the final qualifying round will provide one last obstacle for the clubs still dreaming of reaching the elite stage of European volleyball. Lisbon offered a dramatic Golden Set finish, while Sofia showcased Mladost’s composure under pressure: two very different stories, but the same outcome for the winners, a step closer to the Champions League group stage.
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🏆| 2026/27 CEV Champions League | Second Round
FIRST LEG
Tuesday November 3, 2026
📍Ministry of Emergency Situations Gym Baku
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) – Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) 2-3 (23:25, 25:19, 25:23, 23:25, 10:15)
Wednesday November 4, 2026
📍Dom Odbojke Bojan Stranic Zagreb
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Mladost Zagreb (CRO) – Levski Sofia (BUL) 3-1 (25:15, 25:19, 17:25, 25:23)
📍SaZa Topsporthal Doetinchem
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 0-3 (23:25, 26:28, 14:25)
Thursday November 5, 2026
📍Kaposvár Arena
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Fino Kaposvár (HUN) – TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg (AUT) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:19)
SECOND LEG
Tuesday November 10, 2026
📍Stadtwerke Halle Hartberg
• 18.00 (Local Time) | TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg (AUT) – Fino Kaposvár (HUN) 0-3 (17:25, 26:28, 18:25)
👉🏼Wednesday November 11, 2026
📍Pavilhão João Rocha SCP Lisboa
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) – Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) 2-3 (25:21, 18:25, 25:22, 21:25, 13:15) GOLDEN SET: 13-15
📍Levski Sofia Sport Hall
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Levski Sofia (BUL) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO) 0-3 (20:25, 25:27, 21:25)
Thursday November 12, 2026
📍Sportna Dvorana Tivoli Ljubljana
• 20.00 (Local Time) | ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED)
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