Bakıfbakır won the 2022-2023 CEV (Confederation of European Volleyball) Champions League Final 3-1 (27-25, 25-17, 23-25, 25-17) in straight sets against Exxerbasi on Tuesday (local time) in Turin, Italy.
Both BAKIVBANK and EXZASIVASH 스포츠토토 represent the Turkkiye League, making this final a clash of the titans. Both teams have won the league title 17 times, while Bakıfbakır has won it 12 times.
However, their status in the Champions League has been slightly different. While Exzabar have only won the competition once, in 2014-2015, Vakivbank have won it five times, with their first trophy coming in 2010-2011, when they became the first Turkic club to lift the Champions League trophy, and four more since then. They were also the defending champions, having won the Champions League in the 2021-2022 season.
The whistle blew for the start of the final, and both teams were evenly matched in the first set, but at 25-25, a block and an attack point by Ogbogu (USA) for BAKIFBANK put the first set in their favor.
From there, it was all Bakırk, with Paola Egonu (ITA) at the center of the action. Egonu proved once again why she is considered one of the best players in the world, scoring 37 attacks, two blocks, and one serve for a total of 40 points in the match, with a 65% attack success rate.
Gabriela Guimarães (BRA) also helped Egonu with 15 points, including three blocks.
Despite 16 points from Tania Boskovic (Serbia), Exasibashi had to settle for a three-set victory, as she shot just 37% from the floor and was unable to match Egonu’s ace for ace.
Bakivvank dominated in all areas against Exzabashi. They recorded more attack points (63-56), more blocks (14-9), and more serves (6-1) to sit atop the European rankings.
With the win, both Bakıfvank and their captain Guidetti lifted their sixth Champions League trophies, while Egonu claimed his third individual Champions League crown.
Meanwhile, César Hernández, head coach of the South Korean women’s national volleyball team and power analyst for Bakıfbakır, also seemed to be enjoying the victory, posting a photo on his personal social media with the caption “Champions league? Done!”.
César, who has been the club’s power analyst since 2019, will leave the club at the end of the season and his future destination is yet to be confirmed.