Challenge Cup: PAOK Thessaloniki and Norwid Czestochowa last team qualified to quarterfinals!

1/8 Finals of 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup were completed today with last two verdicts and last two teams qualified to quarterfinals.
Greece’s PAOK Thessaloniki trembled after losing first set but, thanks to their straight sets win in first leg, won the next two against Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok to claim their ticket to quarterfinals before succumbing 2-3 (21:25, 25:21, 25:21, 23:25, 7:15) against a combative Ukrainian side.
The winners, forced to say goodbye to the competition, were led in score by Danylo Uryvkin and Mykyta Luban, top scorers of the match with 18 and 14 points, respectively, while Fernando Hernandez top-scored the quarterfinalists with 13 points.
Meanwhile, last-placed in Polish Plusliga Norwid Czestochowa, also victorious in straight sets in first leg in Spain, eliminated Conqueridor Valencia with the same result in front of their home fans, closing the game with a hard-fought 3-0 (25:18, 30:28, 27:25), with 16 points from Patrik Indra, all in attack with 59% efficiency, and 10 from Bartlomiej Lipinski.

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🏆| 2025/26 CEV Challenge Cup | 1/8 Finals

FIRST LEG

Tuesday January 20, 2026
📍Ustanova Sportski Centar “Voždovac” Belgrade
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) – Allianz Milano (ITA) 0-3 (16:25, 23:25, 18:25)

Wednesday January 21, 2026
📍Sports Hall University of Tartu
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Bigbank Tartu (EST) – Lindemans Aalst (BEL) 1-3 (25:18, 23:25, 22:25, 22:25)
📍Polideportivo Nou Moles Valencia
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) – Norwid Czestochowa (POL) 0-3 (20:25, 22:25, 22:25)
📍Sports Hall Benfica Lisboa – Pavilhão n.º2
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) – Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) 3-2 (23:25, 26:28, 26:24, 25:19, 15:12)
📍Sport Hall Gopass Arena Bratislava
• 19.30 (Local Time) | VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) – Dukla Liberec (CZE) 3-2 (25:17, 17:25, 21:25, 25:21, 15:11)
📍Linth Arena Näfels
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Volley Näfels (SUI) – SCM Zalau (ROU) 3-0 (25:22, 25:21, 25:17)

Thursday January 22, 2026
📍Dvorana Tabor Maribor
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) – PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) 0-3 (18:25, 21:25, 19:25)

Tuesday January 27, 2026
📍Palestra Chaumont
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) – Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) 1-3 (15:25, 25:21, 20:25, 20:25)

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SECOND LEG

Tuesday January 27, 2026
📍Allianz Cloud Milano
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Allianz Milano (ITA) – Crvena Zvezda Beograd (SRB) 3-0 (25:16, 25:14, 25:18)
| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

Wednesday January 28, 2026
📍Atatürk Voleybol Salonu Izmir
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Altekma SK Izmir (TUR) – Sport Lisboa e Benfica (POR) 3-2 (19:25, 25:19, 25:20, 22:25, 15:11) GOLDEN SET: 15-13
📍Dukla Liberec
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Dukla Liberec (CZE) – VK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 1-3 (25:21, 20:25, 22:25, 24:26)
📍Sala Sporturilor “Gheorghe Tadici” Zalau
• 18.00 (Local Time) | SCM Zalau (ROU) – Volley Näfels (SUI) 3-0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:22) GOLDEN SET: 15-11
📍Palestra Chaumont
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) – Chaumont VB 52 (FRA) 3-0 (25:22, 25:22, 25:18) GOLDEN SET: 19-17
📍Sportcentrum Schotte Aalst
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Lindemans Aalst (BEL) – Bigbank Tartu (EST) 2-3 (25:27, 25:15, 25:22, 25:27, 9:15)

👉🏼Thursday January 29, 2026
📍PAOK Palace Sport Thessaloniki
• 18.00 (Local Time) | PAOK Thessaloniki (GRE) – Epicentr-Podolyany Horodok (UKR) 2-3 (21:25, 25:21, 25:21, 23:25, 7:15)
📍HSC Czestochowa
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Norwid Czestochowa (POL) – Conqueridor Valencia (ESP) 3-0 (25:18, 30:28, 27:25)

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