It’s CEV Champions League Matchday 4 week and the action has already started with a true heavyweight battle. Fenerbahçe Medicana hosted Igor Gorgonzola Novara in Group B at Burhan Felek Voleybol Salonu in Istanbul.

The Turkish giants defeated their Italian rivals again in a thrilling five-set clash. The final score was (20-25, 25-22, 25-12, 20-25, 15-10).

In the first set, Novara surprised the locals, took control early, and closed it 25-20. Fenerbahçe responded strongly and edged out their rivals 25-22, taking the second set, and then dominated the third one too, 25-12.

Novara fought back and leveled the match with a 25-20 victory in the fourth set. In the decisive fifth set, Fenerbahçe showed resilience and sealed the match 15-10.

Novara’s Tatiana Tolok was really impressive, finishing on a high with 29 points ahead of fellow Russian athlete and MVP of the game Arina Fedorovtseva with 24 points, while Melissa Vargas scored 21.

Meanwhile, in the other Group B game, PGE Budowlani Łódź from Poland scored a clean-sweep home win over SL Benfica from Portugal.

Fenerbahçe Medicana emerged as a true power in this group with four straight wins, strongly leading the overall points standings.

Photos: European Volleyball